Non-ionic Surfactant
A non-ionic surfactant is a surfactant with no electrical charge in solution; its hydrophilic part is usually an ethylene oxide chain.
Like any surfactant, the molecule has a water-loving part and a grease-loving part, so it lowers surface tension, wets surfaces better and emulsifies greasy soil. The most common are ethoxylated fatty alcohols (sometimes also propoxylated). Because they have no charge, they are little affected by water hardness and do not form insoluble salts with calcium or magnesium; they combine well with anionic and cationic surfactants and are used in acid, neutral and alkaline products. Many generate little foam, which is useful in dishwashers, circuits and machines.
Their behaviour depends on the chain length and the degree of ethoxylation, which is summarised in the HLB value. They lose solubility with temperature: above their cloud point the solution turns cloudy, which is taken into account when formulating for hot use.
Some Instaquim products containing non-ionic surfactants, according to their technical data sheets:
- Fordry (pH 2.8; 0.3–1 g/l at 45–80 °C): rinse additive for ovens with foam control; non-ionic surfactants 5–15 % (ethoxylated/propoxylated C10-C12 alcohol and dodecanol).
- Eco Rinse (pH 2.5; 0.3–0.5 g/l): final rinse additive for dishwashers; non-ionic surfactants 5–15 %; EU Ecolabel ES-CAT/038/012.
- Duron (pH 1 %: 11.5; 10–12 g/kg of dry laundry): washing of bed and table linen in water of up to 60 ºHF; non-ionic surfactants 5–15 % and phosphates 15–30 %.
- Deplac (pH 1 %: 12.5): alkaline degreaser for griddles and ovens with burnt-on grease.