Soaps and Detergents

• History of Soap and Detergent

  • 2000 BC - SUMERIAN
  • 1550 BC - EGYPTIAN
  • 13th Century - soap produced in sufficient quantities
  • 1800s - Discovery of saponification and alkali soda ash
  • 1914 - Shortage of raw materials
  • 1960 - biodegradability essential
• Soap and Detergents

  These are products formed by the chemical reaction between an organic acid (fatty acids) and an alkaline substance. This chemical reaction is called saponification. Both have molecules that have both a hydrophilic ("water-loving") head and a hydrophobic ("water-fearing") tail.
• COMPARISON

  • Soap - In hard water, it forms insoluble compounds reducing foaming and cleaning agent.
  • Detergent - In hard water, it forms soluble or colloidal.
• Triglyceride + Lye (Sodium hydroxide) = Soap + Glycerine
• Soap - a product made by the chemical reaction of oils/fats and an alkaline substance, resulting in long-chain carboxylic acid salts that have unique cleaning properties.
• Typical Soap:

  • Toilet soaps - 80/20 or 90/10 tallow and coconut oil
  • Deodorant soaps - contain agent 3,4,5-tribromosalicylanilide which prevents decomposition of perspiration.
  • Floating soaps, transparent soap, antimicrobial soaps, hard water soaps, etc.
  • Shaving soaps - contain potassium soap and stearic acid.
• Detergent - It is a compound that can remove unwanted substances, known as 'soils,' from surfaces or textiles.
• Detergent undergo a solubilization process. The molecules of detergent work as a cleaning agent as it aggregate in water into spherical clusters called micelles. Then micelles tend to attract dyes or oilsoluble water-insoluble compounds.
• Key components of detergents:

  Surfactants - removal of oily soil, cleaning regulators. Biodegradable detergent made up of phenyl-substituted n-alkanes of 11 to 14 carbon atoms. It is made up of straight chain alkylbenzenes, fatty alcohols/acids, oleum and undergo sulfonation.
• Key components of detergents:

  • Builders - removal of inorganic soil, detergent-building such as phosphates
  • Other additives - foam regulators, corrosion inhibitors, fragrance, etc.
• Type of Detergents:

  1. Anionic Detergents - negatively charged heads
  2. Cationic Detergents - positively charged heads
  3. Non-ionic Detergents - heads are partially charged
• Cationic Detergent

  • Used in plastic cleaners, hair conditioners and fabric softeners, disinfectants and antiseptics.

  
• Anionic Detergent

  • More effective than fat-derived soap as it creates more foam without compromising the cleaning ability of the surfactant.
  • Usually used in laundry detergents and dishwashing liquids

  
• Non-ionic Detergent

  • Typically used in front-loading washing machines and dishwashers
  • Long, non-polar tail but a polar head that is not ionically charged.

  
• Glycerin

  Colorless liquid, sweet but no odor. It is a byproduct of soap making process that can be use in many ways such as explosive. This can be produced through saponification, from splitting fats or hydrolysis, chlorination and hydrolysis of propylene.