What are surfactants in detergents?

Surfactants are a primary component of cleaning detergents. The word surfactant means surface active agent. As the name implies, surfactants stir up activity on the surface you are cleaning to help trap dirt and remove it from the surface.

What are the 4 types of surfactants?

There are 4 types of surfactants with a brief review of each as follows. These classifications are based upon the composition of the polarity of the head group: nonionic, anionic, cationic, amphoteric. A non-ionic surfactant has no charge groups in its head.

What surfactants contain mostly 13 to 40% of alkyl?

Washing up liquids These formulations contain between 13-40% of surfactants which are predominantly alkyl ether sulfates but also include nonionics and amphoterics (betaines).

How are surfactants classified?

Surfactants are typically classified based on their polar head as the hydrophobic tails are often similar. If the head group has no charge, the surfactant is called non-ionic. If the head group has negative or positive charge, it is called anionic or cationic, respectively.

What can I use instead of surfactant?

If you need to substitute Cocamidopropyl Betaine (or another amphoteric) surfactant you will want to use a different amphoteric surfactant, and those can be hard to find. You can try coco betaine, babassuamidopropyl betaine, disodium lauroampho diacetate, and sodium cocoamphoacetate.

Can you make your own surfactant?

While surfactants are available at many local garden centers, you don’t need to make a trip to the store to acquire this ingredient; surfactants can be made in a variety of ways with simple home products, such as liquid dish soap, water and vegetable oil.

Which is an example for cationic surfactant?

Cationic surfactants are essentially quaternary ammonia compounds with positively charged surface-active moieties (e.g. benzalkonium, benzethonium, methylbenzethonium, cetylpyridinium, alkyl-dimethyl dichlorobenzene ammonium, dequalinium and phenamylinium chlorides, cetrimonium and cethexonium bromides).

Where are surfactants used?

Certain surfactants are germicides, fungicides, and insecticides. Surfactants are used in corrosion inhibition, in ore flotation, to promote oil flow in porous rocks, and to produce aerosols.