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Industrial monosodium glutamate, also known as surfactants, is a type of substance that, when added in small amounts, can greatly reduce the surface tension of the solvent (usually water) and change the interfacial state of the system; When it reaches a certain concentration, it forms micelles in the solution. Therefore, it produces wetting or anti wetting, emulsification and demulsification, foaming or defoaming, solubilization, washing and other effects to meet the requirements of practical applications. Monosodium glutamate, as a umami substance, is ubiquitous in our diet and daily life. In industrial production, surfactants are substances similar to monosodium glutamate, which do not require a large amount and can have miraculous effects. These substances are commonly known as surfactants.

 

Introduction to Surfactants

 

Surfactants have a zwitterionic molecular structure: one end is a hydrophilic group, abbreviated as hydrophilic group, also known as oleophobic or oleophobic group, which can dissolve surfactants in water as monomers. Hydrophilic groups are often polar groups, which can be carboxyl groups (- COOH), sulfonic acid groups (- SO3H), amino groups (- NH2) or amino groups and their salts. Hydroxyl groups (- OH), amide groups, ether bonds (- O -), etc. can also be polar hydrophilic groups; The other end is a hydrophobic group, abbreviated as an oleophilic group, also known as a hydrophobic or hydrophobic group. Hydrophobic groups are usually non-polar hydrocarbon chains, such as hydrophobic alkyl chains R - (alkyl), Ar - (aryl), etc.
Surfactants are divided into ionic surfactants (including cationic and anionic surfactants), non-ionic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, composite surfactants, and other surfactants.

In a surfactant solution, when the concentration of the surfactant reaches a certain value, the surfactant molecules will form various ordered combinations called micelles. Micellization or the formation of micelles is a fundamental property of surfactant solutions, and some important interfacial phenomena are related to the formation of micelles. The concentration at which surfactants form micelles in solution is called the Critical Micelle Concentration (CMC). Micelles are not fixed spherical shapes, but rather extremely irregular and dynamically changing shapes. Under certain conditions, surfactants may also exhibit a reverse micelle state.

 

The main factors affecting the critical micelle concentration

 

Structure of surfactants
Addition and types of additives
The influence of temperature

 

Interaction between surfactants and proteins

 

Proteins contain non-polar, polar, and charged groups, and many amphiphilic molecules can interact with proteins in various ways. Surfactants can form molecular ordered combinations with different structures under different conditions, such as micelles, reverse micelles, etc., and their interactions with proteins are also different. There are mainly electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions between proteins and surfactants (P-S), while the interaction between ionic surfactants and proteins is mainly due to the electrostatic interaction of polar groups and the hydrophobic interaction of hydrophobic carbon hydrogen chains, which bind to the polar and hydrophobic parts of proteins, respectively, forming P-S complexes. Non ionic surfactants mainly interact with proteins through hydrophobic forces, and the interaction between their hydrophobic chains and the hydrophobic groups of proteins can have a certain impact on the structure and function of surfactants and proteins. Therefore, the type, concentration, and system environment of surfactants determine whether they stabilize or destabilize proteins, aggregate or disperse.

 

HLB value of surfactant

 

To exhibit unique interfacial activity, surfactants must maintain a certain balance between hydrophobic and hydrophilic groups. HLB (Hydrophilic Lipophilic Balance) is the hydrophilic oleophilic balance value of surfactants, which is an indicator of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties of surfactants.

The HLB value is a relative value (between 0 and 40), such as paraffin wax with HLB value=0 (no hydrophilic group), polyoxyethylene with HLB value of 20, and SDS with strong hydrophilicity with HLB value of 40. The HLB value can be used as a reference for selecting surfactants. The higher the HLB value, the better the hydrophilicity of the surfactant; The smaller the HLB value, the poorer the hydrophilicity of the surfactant.
The main function of surfactants

 

Emulsification effect

Due to the high surface tension of oil in water, when oil is dropped into the water and stirred vigorously, the oil is crushed into fine beads and mixed with each other to form an emulsion, but the stirring stops and the layers are re layered. If a surfactant is added and stirred vigorously, but it is not easy to separate for a long time after stopping, this is emulsification. The reason is that the hydrophobicity of the oil is surrounded by the hydrophilic groups of the active agent, forming a directional attraction and reducing the work required for oil dispersion in water, resulting in good emulsification of the oil.

 

Wetting effect

There is often a layer of wax, grease, or scale like substance adhered to the surface of the parts, which are hydrophobic. Due to the pollution of these substances, the surface of the parts is not easily wetted by water. When surfactants are added to the aqueous solution, the water droplets on the parts are easily dispersed, greatly reducing the surface tension of the parts and achieving the purpose of wetting

 

Solubilization effect

After adding surfactants to oil substances, they can only "dissolve", but this dissolution can only occur when the concentration of surfactants reaches the critical concentration of colloids, and the solubility is determined by the solubilizing object and properties. In terms of solubilization effect, long hydrophobic gene chains are stronger than short chains, saturated chains are stronger than unsaturated chains, and the solubilization effect of non-ionic surfactants is generally more significant.

 

Dispersing effect

Solid particles such as dust and dirt particles tend to gather together and settle easily in water. The molecules of surfactants can divide the solid particle aggregates into small particles, allowing them to disperse and suspend in solution, promoting uniform dispersion of solid particles.

 

Foam action

The formation of foam is mainly due to the directional adsorption of active agent and the reduction of surface tension between gas and liquid phases. Generally, low molecular active agent is easy to foam, high molecular active agent has less foam, myristate yellow has higher foaming property, and sodium stearate has the worst foaming property. Anionic active agent has better foaming property and foam stability than non-ionic active agent, such as sodium alkylbenzene sulfonate has strong foaming property. The commonly used foam stabilizers include aliphatic alcohol amide, carboxymethyl cellulose, etc. foam inhibitors include fatty acid, fatty acid ester, polyether, etc. and other non-ionic surfactants.

 

Classification of surfactants

 

Surfactants can be divided into anionic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, zwitterionic surfactants, and cationic surfactants based on their molecular structure characteristics.

 

Anionic surfactant

Sulfonate
Common active agents of this type include sodium linear alkylbenzenesulfonate and sodium alpha olefin sulfonate. Sodium linear alkylbenzenesulfonate, also known as LAS or ABS, is a white or pale yellow powder or flake solid with good solubility in complex surfactant systems. It is relatively stable to alkali, dilute acid, and hard water. Commonly used in dishwashing liquid (dishwashing detergent) and liquid laundry detergent, it is generally not used in shampoo and is rarely used in shower gel. In dishwashing detergent, its dosage can account for about half of the total amount of surfactants, and the actual adjustment range of its proportion in liquid laundry detergents is relatively wide. A typical compound system used in dishwashing detergent is the ternary system "LAS (linear alkylbenzenesulfonate sodium) - AES (alcohol ether sulfate sodium) - FFA (alkyl alcohol amide)". The prominent advantages of sodium linear alkylbenzenesulfonate are good stability, strong cleaning power, minimal environmental harm, and the ability to be biodegraded into harmless substances at a low price. The prominent disadvantage is that it is highly stimulating. Sodium alpha olefin sulfonate, also known as AOS, is highly soluble in water and has good stability over a wide range of pH values. Among sulfonic acid salt varieties, the performance is better. The outstanding advantages are good stability, good water solubility, good compatibility, low irritation, and ideal microbial degradation. It is one of the main surfactants commonly used in shampoo and shower gel. Its disadvantage is that it is relatively expensive.

 

Sulfate
Common active agents of this type include sodium fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ether sulfate and sodium dodecyl sulfate.

Sodium fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ether sulfate, also known as AES or sodium alcohol ether sulfate.

Easy to dissolve in water, it can be used in shampoo, shower gel, dishwashing liquid detergent (dishwashing detergent), and laundry liquid detergent. Water solubility is better than sodium dodecyl sulfate, and it can be prepared into any proportion of transparent aqueous solution at room temperature. The application of sodium alkylbenzenesulfonate in liquid detergents is more extensive and has better compatibility than that of straight chain alkylbenzenesulfonate; It can be complexed with many surfactants in binary or multiple forms to form transparent aqueous solutions. The outstanding advantages are low irritation, good water solubility, good compatibility, and good performance in preventing skin dryness, cracking, and roughness. The disadvantage is that the stability in acidic media is slightly poor, and the cleaning power is inferior to sodium linear alkylbenzenesulfonate and sodium dodecyl sulfate.

Sodium dodecyl sulfate, also known as AS, K12, sodium cocoyl sulfate, and sodium lauryl sulfate foaming agent, is insensitive to alkali and hard water. Its stability under acidic conditions is inferior to that of general sulfates and close to that of fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ether sulfate. It is easily degradable and has minimal environmental harm. When used in liquid detergents, the acidity should not be too high; The use of ethanolamine or ammonium salts in shampoo and body wash can not only increase acid stability, but also help reduce irritation. Except for its good foaming ability and strong cleaning power, its performance in other aspects is not as good as that of sodium alcohol ether sulfate. The price of common anionic surfactants is generally higher.

 

Cationic surfactant

Compared with various types of surfactants, cationic surfactants have the most prominent adjustment effect and the strongest bactericidal effect, although they have disadvantages such as poor cleaning power, poor foaming ability, poor compatibility, high irritability, and high price. Cationic surfactants are not directly compatible with anionic surfactants and can only be used as conditioning agents or fungicides. Cationic surfactants are commonly used as auxiliary surfactants in liquid detergents (as a minor conditioning component in formulations) for higher grade products, mainly for shampoo. As an adjusting agent component, it cannot be replaced by other types of surfactants in high-end liquid detergent shampoo.

Common types of cationic surfactants include hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (1631), octadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (1831), cationic guar gum (C-14 S), cationic panthenol, cationic silicone oil, dodecyl dimethyl amine oxide (OB-2), etc.

 

Zwitterionic surfactant

Bipolar surfactants refer to surfactants that have both anionic and cationic hydrophilic groups. Therefore, these surfactants exhibit cationic properties in acidic solutions, anionic properties in alkaline solutions, and non-ionic properties in neutral solutions. Bipolar surfactants are easily soluble in water, concentrated acid and alkali solutions, and even in concentrated solutions of inorganic salts. They have good resistance to hard water, low skin irritation, good fabric softness, good anti-static properties, good bactericidal effect, and good compatibility with various surfactants. Important types of amphoteric surfactants include dodecyl dimethyl betaine and carboxylate imidazoline.

 

Non-ionic surfactant

Non ionic surfactants have good properties such as solubilization, washing, anti-static, low irritation, and calcium soap dispersion; The applicable pH range is wider than that of general ionic surfactants; Except for fouling and foaming properties, other properties are often superior to general anionic surfactants. Adding a small amount of non-ionic surfactant to the ionic surfactant can increase the surface activity of the system (compared between the same active substance content). The main varieties include alkyl alcohol amides (FFA), fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ethers (AE), and alkylphenol polyoxyethylene ethers (APE or OP).

Alkyl alcohol amides (FFA) are a class of non-ionic surfactants with superior performance, wide applications, and high frequency of use, commonly used in various liquid detergents. In liquid detergents, it is often used in combination with amides, with a ratio of "2:1" and "1.5:1" (alkyl alcohol amide: amide). Alkyl alcohol amides can be used in generally slightly acidic and alkaline detergents, and are the cheapest variety of nonionic surfactants.

 

Application of surfactants

With the development of science and technology, especially the progress of the chemical industry and the penetration of related disciplines, the role and application of surfactants have become increasingly widespread and in-depth. From the mining of minerals and the development of energy, to the effects of cells and enzymes, the traces of surfactants can be found. Nowadays, the application of surfactants is not limited to detergent cleaning agents, toothpaste cleaning agents, cosmetic emulsifiers and other daily chemical industries, but has spread to other production fields such as petrochemicals, energy development, and pharmaceutical industry.

 

Oil extraction
In oil extraction, the use of dilute water solutions of surfactants or concentrated mixed solutions of surfactants with oil and water can increase crude oil recovery by 15% to 20%. Due to the ability of surfactants to reduce solution viscosity, they are used during drilling to decrease crude oil viscosity and reduce or prevent drilling accidents. It can also make old wells that no longer spray oil re spray.

Energy development
Surfactants can also contribute to energy development. In the current situation of rising world oil prices and tight oil sources, the development of oil coal blended fuels has profound significance. Adding surfactants to the process can produce a new type of fuel with high flowability, which can replace gasoline as a power source. Adding emulsifiers to gasoline, diesel, and heavy oil not only saves oil sources, but also improves thermal efficiency and reduces environmental pollution. Therefore, surfactants have profound significance for energy development.

Textile industry
The application of surfactants in the textile industry has a long history. Synthetic fibers have drawbacks such as roughness, insufficient fluffiness, susceptibility to electrostatic adsorption of dust, and poor moisture absorption and hand feel compared to natural fibers. If treated with specialized surfactants, these defects in synthetic fibers can be greatly improved. Surfactants are also used as softeners, antistatic agents, wetting and penetrating agents, and emulsifiers in the textile printing and dyeing industry. The application of surfactants in the textile printing and dyeing industry is very extensive.

Metal cleaning
In terms of metal cleaning, traditional solvents include organic solvents such as gasoline, kerosene, and carbon tetrachloride. According to relevant statistics, the amount of gasoline used for cleaning metal parts in China is as high as 500000 tons per year. Water based metal cleaning agents formulated with surfactants can save energy. According to calculations, one ton of metal cleaning agent can replace 20 tons of gasoline, and one ton of petroleum raw material can be used to produce 4 tons of metal cleaning agent, indicating that surfactants have profound significance in energy conservation. Metal cleaning agents with external surfactants also have the characteristics of being non-toxic, non flammable, non polluting to the environment, and ensuring worker safety. This type of metal cleaning agent has been widely used for cleaning different types of metal components such as aerospace engines, aircraft, bearings, etc.

Food industry
In the food industry, surfactants are multifunctional additives used in the production of food. Food surfactants have excellent emulsifying, wetting, anti sticking, preservation, and flocculation effects. Due to the special additive effect, it can make pastries crispy, foam foods froth, bread soft, and evenly disperse and emulsify raw materials such as artificial butter, mayonnaise, and ice cream, which has unique effects on improving the production process and internal quality of products.

Agricultural pesticides are emulsion liquids that, due to the surface tension of the liquid, have the disadvantage of being difficult to spread when sprayed on plant leaves. If a surfactant is added to the pesticide solution, the surfactant can reduce the surface tension of the liquid, that is, the lotion loses its surface activity, and the pesticide lotion will be easily spread on the leaf surface, so its insecticidal effect will be better.