CHEMICALS FOR CONSUMER

SOAP
Potassium or sodium salt of
carboxylic acid (carboxylate salt)
that contain in animal or vegetable
fat (natural resources)
O

 Formula : R C O Na

R C O K
R – is an alkyl group ( long chain
carboxylic acid) with 12 to 18
carbon atoms per molecule
- it can be saturated or unsaturated

O :- functional group
C O (carboxylate)
 SOAP PREPARATION
Saponification process
Hydrolysis of vegetable oils or fats by
concentrated alkaline solution

Saponification equation
C17H35COOCH2 CH2OH

C17H35COOCH + 3NaOH 3 C17H35COO Na + CHOH

CH2OH
C17H35COOCH2

(Ester) Sodium Hydroxide Sodium octadecanoate Glycerol

(Sodium Stearate) (Propane-1,2,3-triol)
(soap)
SOAP EXAMPLEs
1) Sodium palmitate
CH3(CH2)14COO-Na+

2) Potassium stearate
CH3(CH2)16COO-K+

Potassium soaps are softer, milder than

sodium soaps and are usually for bathing.
SOAP STRUCTURE

C O Na

HEAD
TAIL
Hydrophilic
Hydrophobic
PREPARATION OF SOAP
PREPARATION OF SOAP
PREPARATION OF SOAP
PREPARATION OF SOAP
Hydrophobic Group Hydrophilic
Group
DETERGENT
 known as non-soap cleaning agent.
 sulphonic acid salt
 made from synthetic resources such as
petroleum fraction

 Formula : O

R S O Na

O
R - long chain carboxylic acid with 12
to 18 carbon atoms per molecule
O

S O

O
functional group (sulfonate)
DETERGENT STRUCTURE
O

S O Na

TAIL HEAD
Hydrophobic Hydrophilic
DETERGENT EXAMPLES

1)Sodium alkyl sulphate

2)Sodium alkylbenzene sulphonate
DETERGENT PREPARATION
1) Sodium alkyl sulphate

( Long chain alcohol)

Sulphonation H2SO4

(Alkyl sulphonic acid)

Neutralization
NaOH

SODIUM ALKYL SULPHATE

2) Sodium alkylbenzene sulphonate

( Long chain alkene )

Alkylation Benzene + anhydrous AlCl3

(Alkylbenzene )
Sulphonation H2SO4
( Alkylbenzene sulphonic acid )
Neutralization NaOH

SODIUM ALKYLBENZENE SULPHONATE

ADDITIVES IN DETERGENT

To convert stains into

colourless substances

Optical whitener

Suspension agents

Fragrances
HOW SOAPS AND DETERGENTS WORK

Let's assume we have oily, greasy soil on clothing.

Water alone will not remove this soil. One
important reason is that oil and grease present in
soil repel the water molecules.

Now let's add soap or detergent. The

surfactant's water-hating end is repelled by
water but attracted to the oil in the soil. At the
same time, the water-loving end is attracted to
the water molecules.

These opposing forces loosen the soil and suspend

it in the water. Warm or hot water helps dissolve
grease and oil in soil. Washing machine agitation
or hand rubbing helps pull the soil free.
 Cleansing Action of Soap:
 The cleansing action of soap is
determined by its polar and non-
polar structures.
 The long hydrocarbon chain is
non-polar and hydrophobic
(repelled by water).
 The "salt" end of the soap
molecule is ionic and
hydrophilic (water soluble).
•The oil is a pure
hydrocarbon so it is non-
polar. The non-polar
hydrocarbon tail of the
soap dissolves into the
oil.
•That leaves the polar
carboxylate ion of the
soap molecules are
sticking out of the oil
droplets, the surface of
each oil droplet is
negatively charged.
 As a result, the oil
droplets repel each
other and remain
suspended in solution
(this is called an
emulsion) to be
washed away by a
stream of water. The
outside of the
droplet is also
coated with a layer
of water molecules.
The cleansing action of soap
 When soap dissolves in water, soap dissociates to form
sodium ions (or potassium ions) and soap anions.
 C12H35COONa (s)  C17H35COO- (aq) + Na+(aq)
 A soap anion is made up of two parts:
A long covalent hydrocarbon chain which is
hydrophobic (repelled by water). It dissolves in oil or
grease but not in water.
 A carboxylate group, -COO- which is hydrophilic
(attracted to water).. It dissolves in water but not in oil
or grease.
 Soap also reduces surface tension of water, causing
a thorough wetting of greasy surfaces.
 The hydrophobic part of the anions dissolve in
grease and penetrate into the greasy stains.
 The hydrophilic part of the anions remain in the
water.
 Mechanical agitation during scrubbing helps to pull
the grease free and also break the grease into
small droplets.
 Rinsing washes away these droplets of grease and
leaves the surface clean.
How Water Hardness Affects
Cleaning Action

Although soap is a good

cleaning agent, its
effectiveness is reduced when
used in hard water. Hardness
in water is caused by the
presence of mineral salts -
mostly those of calcium (Ca)
and magnesium(Mg), but
sometimes also iron (Fe) and
manganese (Mn).
1. The mineral salts react with soap (soap anion) to form an
insoluble precipitate known as soap film or scum.

2. Soap film does not rinse away easily. It tends to remain

behind and produces visible deposits on clothing and
makes fabrics feel stiff. It also attaches to the insides of
bathtubs, sinks and washing machines.

3. Formation of soap scum reduces the amount of soap

available for cleaning, thus causing a wastage of soap.

4. Detergents do not form scum with hard water. They form

soluble substances with calcium or magnesium salts.

5. Thus detergents are effective in hard water.

 Comparing the effectiveness of
soap and detergent.
Property Soap Detergent
Cleaning power Less powerful More powerful

Ease of rinsing It is difficult to wash Rinses out well from

away all soap on clothes.
clothes.
The soap that remains
leaves an odour and
spoils the fabric
pH Slightly alkaline Can be controlled to suit
the cleaning task
Molecular structure Determined by the Can be modified to suit
structure of fatty the cleaning task. For
acids found in the oil example, a detergent
or fat used to produce can be specially for
soap cleaning toilet bowls.

Formation of scum Forms scum with hard Does not form scum with
water hard water