Industrial Applications of Surfactants IV (Special Publications) (Vol 4)

295 Pages·1999·19.16 MB·English

by  D.R. Karsa

Industrial Applications of Surfactants IV

Industrial Applications of
Surfactants IV
Edited by
David R. Karsa
Akcros Chemicals Ltd, Manchester, UK
RSmC
~ .- -
ROYAL SOCIETY Of CHEMISTRY
The proceedings of the meeting on the Industrial Applications of Surfactants IV held at
the University of Salford on 3 1 March - 2 April 1998.
Special Publication No. 230
ISBN 0-85404-773-5
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
0 The Royal Society of Chemistry 1999
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Preface
Well over 4.5 K tonnes of surface active agents are used worldwide in industrial
applications, ranging from industrial and institutional cleaning applications to the
formulation of agrochemicals and through to many applications which utilise surfactants
as process aids. The latter include, for example, the manufacture of emulsion polymers
for paints and surface coatings, auxiliaries for textile and fibre processing, dispersants for
both organic and inorganic pigments, oil field chemicals and lubricant additives. No
single volume can provide a comprehensive insight into this subject because of the
diversity of both surfactant types and applications. This current volume of conference
proceedings should be considered in combination with the three previous Royal Society of
Chemistry publications on this topic (“The Industrial Applications of Surfactants”:
Volumes I - DO.
Topics of particular note in Volume IV include up-to-date marketing and environmental
information, a focus on surfactants derived from naturalkenewable raw materials
(including starch, sucrose and kelp), nonionic surfactants derived from secondary alcohols
and more innovative surfactants including a chelating surfactant based on an alkyl
ethylenediamine triacetic acid, alkyl phosphate esters with low irritancy, twin-chained
(“gemini”) surfactants and sulphobetaine derivatives. Nonionic surfactants are also
considered in terms of optimum selection to meet current environmental demands, as well
as a thought provoking paper questioning the usefulness of the HLB value concept for
nonionics. Application areas considered include surfactant uses in the textile industry,
silicone-based surfactants in flame retardant polyurethane foams and products to prevent
gas hydrate formation in oil field applications.
Once again, it is hoped that these proceedings both illustrate the versatility of both new
and established surfactants but also confirm the assertion that there are still new
surfactants and applications to be discovered and commercialised.
Dr David R Karsa

Contents
Overview: A Decade of Change in the Surfactant Industry 1
D.R. Karsa, R.M. Bailey, B. Shelmerdine and S.A. McCann
Surfactants in the Environment - An Overview 23
H. Thomas
The Surface Active Agents Market: Where Is It Moving? 40
G. Bognolo
Hydrotropes and Their Applications 50
E. Fairchild, J.A. Komor, A.J. Petro and G.T. Baird
The Use of Amphoteric Surfactants to Utilise Imidazolines in Industrial
Detergents 63
D. Homer and P. McConnack
Application of Sucrose Fatty Acid Esters as Food Emulsifiers 73
S. Nakamura
Use of Mixtures of Alkyl Alkoxylates and Alkyl Glucosides in Strong Electrolytes
and Highly Alkaline Systems 88
I. Johansson, C. Strandberg, B. Karlsson, G. Karlsson and K. Hammarstrand
A New Surfactant Made from Kelp Seaweed 108
M.E. kvey, E.B. Revell, R. Dahm and V. Machowski
Starch-derived Products in Detergents 117
R. Beck
The Properties and Industrial Applications of N-Acyl ED3A Chelating Surfactants 130
J.J. Crudden
Gemini Surfactants 151
M.J. Rosen
...
Vlll Industrial Applications of Surfactants N
Nonionic Surfactants: Achieving the Balance between Performance and
Environmental Properties 162
H.R. Motson
HLB, Is It a Valuable Concept or a Curiosity? 175
T.G. Balson
Surfactants Derived from Secondary Alcohols 193
K. Rakutani, Y. Onda and T. inaoka
Sulphobetaines and Ethersulphonates: Unique Surfactants via Sulphopropylation
Reactions 213
P. Koberle
Alkyl Phosphates as Cosmetic Emulsifiers: A Contribution to Non-ethoxylated
Emulsifiers 227
R. Aigner, M. finer, A. Overweg and A. Turowski
The Application of Surfactants in Preventing Gas Hydrate Formation 244
N.J. Phillips and M.A. Kelland
Influence of a Silicone Surfactant Structure on the Burning Behaviour of
Polyurethane Foam 260
A.W eier, G. Burkhart and M. Klincke
Application of Surfactants in the Textile Industry 272
P. Mallinson
Subject Index 279
Overview: A Decade of Change in the Surfactant
Industry
D. R. Karsa, R. M. Bailey, B. Shelmerdine and S. A. McCann
AKROS CHEMICIALS, BENTCLIFFE WAY,P O BOX 1, ECCLES, MANCHESTER M30 OBH, UK
1 INTRODUCTION
The 1990s have witnessed continuous change in the Surfactant Industry fiom the raw
material supplier base to the surfactant producers and through to the formulators and
end-users. Both petrochemical and oleochemical raw materials continue to be readily
available, speared on by the discovq of new oil fields or the further development of oil
bearing crops. Petrochemical majors have made strategic moves in or out of key
surfactant raw materials and intermediates, while acquisition and divestment continues
apace amongst syrfactant manufacturing companies as they either withdraw fiom
commodity business in order to concentrate on high added value, niche markets or invest
in low production cost, high volume markets, sometimes by "over the fence" production
deals with appropriate raw material suppliers.
Likewise the surfidant producers' company base continues to evolve, particularly as
majors refocus on their core busiesses, attempt to reduce their product inventory and
seek out "global supplier" arrangements. At the other end of the customer spectrum, the
shear size and diversity of smaller surfactant end-users, particularly in the industrial and
institutional (I&I) cleaning sectors and the process industries, has led to the increased use
of agents and distributorst o more effectively service those businesses.
A limited number of surfactant types remain dominant (e.g. alkylbenzene sulphonates
and alcohol ethoxylates, sulphates and ethersulphates) as these are components of
(cid:0)(cid:0)(cid:0)(cid:0)(cid:0)(cid:0)(cid:0)(cid:0)(cid:0)(cid:0)
laundry detergents, household and personal care products which account for over halfthe
use of surfactants. The more s special it^+ surfactants are generally to be found in industrial
and agochemical applications. Hence any quantum change in the use of existing
surfactants or fiom the introduction of new ones will almost exclusively emanate fiom
major formulation trends in the detergent sector. This may be illustrated in the 1990's by
the increased use of alcohol ethoxylates at the expense of alkylbenzene sulphonates
(LAS), the developing use of alkane sulphonates and the methyl esters of sulphonated
fatty acids and investment in very large scale production of alkylpolyglucosides.
Environmental and legislative issues are also driving forces for change. For example,
in Europe, the agreed removal of 'non-biodegradable' components and voluntary
cessation of alkylphenol ethoxylate usage both in I&I products plus the reformulation of
preparations to avoid the requirement for hazard labelling have all led to significant
product re-formulation initiatives.