Surfactant Agent

A surfactant (or surface-active agent, known as "surfactant" in English) is an amphiphilic molecule composed of a hydrophilic part, which has a strong affinity with water, and a hydrophobic and lipophilic part, which has a strong affinity with oils and fats. Thanks to this amphiphilic structure, and in order to minimise physicochemical forces, a surfactant diluted in water will distribute itself within the liquid by forming micelles and at the surface of the liquid. By forming micelles, for example, a surfactant can emulsify fatty substances (e.g. oil in water) and facilitate the dispersion and removal of grease from a surface. By modifying the surface of the liquid, the surfactant reduces the surface tension of the liquid, which provides a greater wetting power to the solution (better spreading and the "roll up" phenomenon for detaching soiling). Depending on the molecular structure of the surfactant, many other properties and phenomena can be imparted to a solution (foaming power, dispersing, emulsifying, etc.). Find our full range of surfactants on this page.

Surfactants have many properties. They can act as detergents (removing dirt from solid surfaces), solubilising agents (enabling the solubilisation of two normally immiscible liquids), foaming agents (allowing the dispersion of a large volume of gas in a small volume of liquid and the creation of foam), wetting agents (enabling better spreading of a liquid on a surface), dispersing agents (preventing the agglomeration of suspended particles), emulsifying agents (promoting the heterogeneous mixing of two immiscible liquids), and antiseptics (certain surfactants bind to bacterial membranes, disrupting their normal activity). These components are used in the production of most formulated chemical products in our daily lives. They are notably raw materials for cosmetics, and are used in the composition of paints, lubricants, detergents, and disinfectants. Find all these chemical products on this page.

There are several types of surfactants. Anionic surface agents have a negatively charged hydrophilic part. Cationic agents have a positively charged hydrophilic part. Amphoteric surfactants are both positively and negatively charged, so their overall charge is neutral. Finally, non-ionic agents carry no charge. Anionic agents, such as Dodecylbenzene Sulfonic Acid salt, Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Coco-sulfate, and Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, are used as detergents, foaming agents, wetting agents, and dispersants. Cationic agents, such as theQuaternary Ammoniumare very good dispersants and are known for their biocidal properties. Find all these products on this page.

Use Sodium Coco-sulfate in ECOCERT or ECOLABEL formulas as a bio-based alternative to lauryl ether sulfate or sodium lauryl sulfate. It can be used in the composition of household and industrial detergents. Individuals appreciate it for creating "homemade" skin cosmetics. If you are looking for biodegradable surfactants, you can also turn to Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. However, please note that these two components are not accepted by ECOCERT and ECOLABEL labels, due to their manufacturing process. Contact our teams for more information.

Discover also sulfonic acid, a surfactant widely used in the formulation of detergents and for agricultural herbicides. You may also need sodium lauryl ether sulfate.