What Is Non-Ionic Surfactant?

Non-ionic Surfactants are one of the most commonly used surfactants in industry, so let's ask a simple question:"What is Non-ionic Surfactants"?

Definition of Non-ionic Surfactants

Non-ionic Surfactants are surfactants without charge on their hydrophilic head groups, therefore they have milder properties. Due to the mild nature associated with Non-ionic Surfactants, they are commonly used in the entire household and personal care markets as well as agrochemical industry.

Additionally, the lack of charge promotes the easy emulsification of fats by Non-ionic Surfactants, making them important players in removing fats from surfaces of dirt. Although such surfactants are commonly associated with cleaning products in household or industrial environments, they are also widely used in other fields. Non-ionic Surfactants are typically used in household, beauty, and personal care surfactant markets, with their products including shampoos (to aid in emulsification), perfumes (as solubilizers), cosmetics (help disperse pigments in cosmetics) and assisting in emulsifying oils for skincare products.

Non-ionic Surfactants are not limited to the household and personal care markets, for example, Non-ionic Surfactants can be used to help farmers in the agricultural surfactant industry, as these compounds are used in pesticide and adjuvant formulations to enhance the spread, wetting, adhesion, and penetration of pesticides through leaf surfaces. Non-ionic Surfactants are also used in the refinement and processing of petroleum and natural gas in the petroleum industry. For example, Non-ionic Surfactants are used as corrosion inhibitors for surfaces in contact with petroleum products in the oil and gas industry, as well as in fracking fluids to help improve the flow of hydrocarbons. Due to their surface chemical properties, Non-ionic Surfactants are also widely used in coating applications, such as emulsifiers in latex paints and leveling agents in acrylic paints.

Non-ionic Surfactants List

Non-ionic Surfactants include common examples such as ethoxylated and alkoxylated fatty acids, ethoxylated amines, ethoxylated alcohols, alkyl and octylphenol ethoxylates, ethoxylated dehydrated sorbitol esters, and castor oil ethoxylates.

When choosing the right surfactant, it is important to understand how to adjust the properties of the hydrophobic portion and the ratio of the hydrophobic portion to the hydrophilic portion to provide better water solubility, wetting, cleaning power, emulsification, etc. To understand this phenomenon, one must first understand the hydrophilic/lipophilic balance (HLB) theory, which is a unique feature of Non-ionic Surfactants.

HLB's range is 1-20, can be calculated, and is used to determine the tendency of a compound to work effectively in a given oil and water solution. Surfactants with lowerHLBvalues (<10) are typically used in oil-rich solutions, while surfactants with higherHLBvalues (>10) are most effective in oil-in-water emulsions.

Just as the identity of the hydrophobic portion of ionic surfactants can vary according to the needs of the final application, the length of the polyethylene glycol (PEG) component of Non-ionic Surfactants (i.e., the hydrophilic part) also provides a wide range of solubility and cleaning power for these compounds. Increasing the amount of ethylene oxide usually increases its water solubility, and increases the hydrophilic/lipophilic balance (HLB) of the compound.