Detergent

detergent is a surfactant or a mixture of surfactants with "cleaning

properties in dilute solutions."In common usage, "detergent" refers to

alkylbenzenesulfonates, a family of compounds that are similar to soap but are less affected by hard water. In most household contexts, the term detergent by itself refers specifically to laundry detergent or dish detergent, as opposed to hand soap or other types of cleaning agents. Detergents are commonly available as powders or concentrated solutions. Detergents work because they are amphiphilic - partly hydrophilic (polar) and partly hydrophobic (non-polar). Their dual nature facilitates the mixture of hydrophobic compounds (like oil and grease) with water. Because air is not hydrophillic, detergents are also foaming agents to varying degrees. Completely non-polar solvents known as degreasers can also remove hydrophobic contaminants but may not dissolve in water because of a lack of polar elements.

Any material which enhances the cleaning effect of water is called detergents. The term detergents are commonly used for synthetic products, used for cleaning purposes. Synthetic detergents are better cleaning agents than soaps. Synthetic detergents are also called syndets. Syndets have already replaced about 80% of the world demand of soap. Soaps are the sodium and potassium salts of long chain fatty acid where as detergents contain sodium or

potassium salts of alkali sulphonated acid or aryl sulphonated acid in their composition.

How Do Detergents Clean?

Detergents and soaps are used for cleaning because pure water can't remove oily, organic soiling. Soap cleans by acting as an emulsifier. Basically, soap allows oil and water to mix so that oily grime can be removed during rinsing. Detergents were developed in response to the shortage of the animal and vegetable fats used to make soap during World War I and World War II. Detergents are primarily surfactants, which could be produced easily from petrochemicals. Surfactants lower the surface tension of water, essentially making it 'wetter' so that it is less likely to stick to itself and more likely to interact with oil and grease.

Modern detergents contain more than surfactants. Cleaning products may also contain enzymes to degrade protein-based stains, bleaches to de-color stains and add power to cleaning agents, and blue dyes to counter yellowing. Like soaps, detergents have hydrophobic or water-hating molecular chains and hydrophilic or water-loving components. The hydrophobic hydrocarbons are repelled by water, but are attracted to oil and grease. The hydrophilic end of the same molecule means that one end of the molecule will be attracted to water, while the other side is binding to oil. Neither detergents nor soap accomplish anything except binding to the soil until some mechanical energy or agitation is added into the equation. Swishing the soapy water around allows the soap or detergent to pull the grime away from clothes or dishes and into the larger pool of rinse water. Rinsing washes the detergent and soil away. Warm or hot water melts fats and oils so that it is easier for the soap or

detergent to dissolve the soil and pull it away into the rinse water. Detergents are similar to soap, but they are less likely to form films (soap scum) and are not as affected by the presence of minerals in water (hard water).

Composition of Detergents:
Detergents vary in their composition, depending upon its cleaning task. Different type of detergents is available in the market, which are different from each other in their composition. But common composition which must be present in each detergent is given below. 1 2
3

Surfactants & Suds Regulator 15-20% Builders Auxiliary agents 30-40% 30% (Additives)

Surfactants: It means any material that affects the surface tension of water when it is dissolved in water solution. Actually surfactant mean surface active agent. Soap is the material which has this property but the term surfactant is only used for organic derivative. Such as sodium salt of higher molecular weight . E.g. alkyl sulphonate & sulphates. Surfactants are actually responsible for the primary cleaning and washing action. Surfactants are long chain molecules with one end insoluble non-polar hydrocarbon while the other end is water soluble. Types of Surfactants.
1 2 3 4 5

An-Ionic Surfactants (-So3- , -OSo3- ) Cat-Ionic Surfactants (-N(CH3)3+, -C5H5N+) Non-Ionic Surfactant (-O(CH2-CH2)nOH

Zwitter Ionic Surfactant (-N+(CH3)3(C2H2)COOSemi-Polar Surfactant N(CH3)-O

The an-ionic, cat-ionic and non-ionic surfactants are commonly used detergents. Suds Regulator: These are the ingredients often used with surfactants are known as suds regulator. These are hydrophobic materials responsible for suds action. These are necessarily used with surfactants for efficient work of cleaning in washing machine. These materials have no chemical relationship and often specific for certain surfactants. These are act as stabilizer and suppressor.

Builders:

These are the chemicals which boots up detergent power are called builders. These are especially used in detergent. These are exclusively complex phosphate such as sodium tri-poly phosphate they also prevent the deposition of the soil from wash water on fabric complex phosphate is the key of good detergents. Rapid rise in the acceptance of the detergents is mostly due to the action of complex phosphate. These are commonly sodium tri-poly phosphate, tetra sodium pyrophosphate. These are actually water softener and reduce the hardness of water as well.

Additives:

Additives are also used in the formulation of detergents but they must be in small quantity. i.e. 3% to 4% or less, there are different types of chemicals which are use as additives for different purposes.

Corrosion In-Habitor:

Such as sodium silicates, protect metal and washer part from the action of detergent water. Anti-Red positing Agents: Protects the soil to re-deposit on fabric from wash water. CMC (carbonyl Methyl Cellulose) Fabric Brightener: It makes the fabric looks bright because of their ability to convert ultra violet light into visible light. e.g. Fluorescent dyes. Other then theses dyes are bluing agent improves the whiteness of the fabric.

Bleachers:
These are used for laundry work in detergent but their use is limited. e.g. per oxide type bleachers these are not use under high temperature.

References:
Book=> Water and Wastewater Engineering By Mackenzie L. Davis http://goldbook.iupac.org/D01643.html http://chemistry.about.com/od/howthingswork/f/detergentfaq.htm http://www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/vchembook/558detergent.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detergent