Nonionic surfactants laundry detergents

Nonionic surfactants are also used in substantial amounts in laundry detergents and in automatic dishwashing detergents, both applications reflecting in particular their generally lower sudsing characteristics than the anionics. Commercially important examples uf the nonionics include the alkyl ethoxylates, the ethoxylated alkyl phenols, the fatly acid ethanol amides, and complex polymers of ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, and alcohols. 

In contrast with soaps, virtually all die synthetic anionic and nonionic surfactants do not form readily visible insolubles in the presence of the Ca++ and Mg-+ ions present in many water supplies—the familiar scum, curd, and lime soap of the laundry soap era. This property, in combination with the discovery that the detergency performance of many synthetic surfactants could be greatly augmented by the addition of certain phosphate chelating agents, led to the "detergent revolution" in the laundry-product field. Sec also Surfactants. 

Solid soils are commonly encountered in hard surface cleaning and continue to become more important in home laundry conditions as wash temperatures decrease. The detergency process is complicated in the case of solid oily soils by the nature of the interfacial interactions of the surfactant solution and the solid soil. An initial soil softening or "liquefaction", due to penetration of surfactant and water molecules was proposed, based on gravimetric data (4). In our initial reports of the application of FT-IR to the study of solid soil detergency, we also found evidence of rapid surfactant penetration, which was correlated with successful detergency (5). In this chapter, we examine the detergency performance of several nonionic surfactants as a function of temperature and type of hydrocarbon "model soil". Performance characteristics are related to the interfacial phase behavior of the ternary surfactant -hydrocarbon - water system. 

This section briefly describes the anionic and nonionic surfactants commonly used in commercial HDLD formulations. Cationic surfactants, although used on a large scale, are found predominantly in rinse-added fabric softener products. LAS, alcohol ethoxylates, and alkyl ether sulfates are three of the most widely used surfactants in liquid laundry detergents [44], Recently, various external considerations, such as environmental pressures, have prompted manufacturers to change their surfactant mix to include newer natural-based surfactants [45-47], including alkyl polyglucosides (Henkel) [48],... 

Detergents that are intended for use in laundry machines contain increased amounts of nonionic surfactants that prevent excessive formation of foam that may interfere with the normal working cycle of machines. The action of nonionic surfactants is based on their decreased tendency towards foaming, especially at elevated temperatures, at which they lose ability to form micelles due to dehydration of polar groups (Chapter VI, 3). 

At the same time, surfactants like alkylbenzene sulfonates remain the most widely used basis for laundry detergents. Anionics remain the main products for making detergent compositions. Some of the application aspects of relatively new types of anionics (a-olefin sulfonates, sulfocarboxylic acids, alkyl phosphates etc.), whose commercial manufacture began in the 60-ties - 70-ties of the 20 century, are described by Stache [95]. The application of conventional types of nonionics like ethoxylated alcohols or alkyl phenols is presented in [13 -14], Alkyl polyglycosides were widely used in the last 5-8 years [96]. However, the main tendency in the development of new generation detergents is the use of surfactant mixtures in their optimum composition [97, 98]. 

Uses Surfactant for mod. built alkaline systems such as caustic and/or alkaline cleaners, mechanical dishwashing detergents, metal cleaners, alkaline plating baths, hard surf, cleaners, paints/coatings, textile scouring, laundry detergents, steam cleaners, food plant cleaners, oven cleaners, CIP cleaners, and syn. coolants hydrotrope for nonionics in alkaline systems... 

Uses Surfactant, detergent, wetting agent, surf. tens, reducer, penetrant, dispersant, emulsifier, solubilizer for concrete mfg., agric. sprays, metal/ min. processing, pulp/paper, household laundry detergents, industrial cleaners, textiles, solv. cleaners, paints, emulsion polymerization Properties Hazen 100 liq. sol. in water, benzene, ethyl acetate, ethyl Icinol, perchlorethylene, ethanol, olein sp.gr. 1.069 vise. 410 cps m.p. 7 2 C HLB 13.7 cloud pt. 74 2 C pH 6-8 (1% aq.) surf. tens. 34.8 dynes/cm (0.1%) wetting 9 s (0.1%) Ross-Miles foam 12.6 cm (0.1%, initial) nonionic 100% act. 

Uses Whitener for cotton and other cellulosics surfactant in anionic and nonionic laundry detergents, dry bleaches, fabric softeners, commercial laundry prods. vise, control agent Trade Names Containing Uvitex NFW Liq. 

Hazardous Decomp. Prods. Heated to decomp., emits toxic fumes of SOx and Na20 Uses Whitener for cotton and other cellulosics surfactant in anionic and nonionic laundry detergents, dry bleaches, fabric softeners, commercial laundry prods. vise, control agent Trade Name Synonyms Eutex CBS [Aceto http //www.aceito.com], Tinopal CBS-X [Ciba Spec. Chems./Plastic Addit. http //WWW. cibasc. com]... 

Almost 2 billion pounds of various alcohol ethoxylates are consumed annually in the world today, which is more than any other class of nonionic surfactant. They are widely used in laundry detergents (second only to linear... 

Dishwcishing detergent is much simpler than laundry detergent. It has some surfactant (normally a nonionic one), a little colorant, and something to make your hands feel soft. 

The major component of a laundry detergent is surfactant. Surfactants, alone and in combination with other ingredients, work to remove soils from the surface of the cloth through emulsification, roll-up, and electrostatic forces. A variety of different surfactants have been used in laundry detergents, and they can be classified as anionic, nonionic, and cationic. 

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