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Detergency and foaming properties of the system alkylarylsulfonate‐soap‐sodium carboxymethyl cellulose
Author(s) -
Vaughn Thomas H.,
Suter H. R.,
Kramer M. G.
Publication year - 1953
Publication title -
journal of the american oil chemists' society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.512
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1558-9331
pISSN - 0003-021X
DOI - 10.1007/bf02639908
Subject(s) - carboxymethyl cellulose , materials science , foaming agent , sodium , cellulose , chemical engineering , composite material , chemistry , organic chemistry , porosity , metallurgy , engineering
Summary A study has been made of the detergency and foaming characteristics of a ternary system comprising a sodium alkylarylsulfonate, a medium titer soap derived from tallow and coconut oil, and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose under average conditions prevailing in household laundering. The carbon soil removal and whiteness retention properties of unbuilt soap are equalled or exceeded in compositions containing approximately five parts soap to one part alkylarylsulfonate, with a minor portion of CMC. Measurements made in a transparent cylindrical washer indicate that the decrease of foam height due to adsorption on fabric and hard water is much greater with soap than with alkylarylsulfonate. This results in greater foam volumes with alkylarylsulfonate than with soap at concentrations less than 0.2%, in water of hardness equivalent to 96–114 ppm. CaCO 3 . Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, when used with soap and alkylarylsulfonate in the proportions desirable for improvement of detergency, does not affect foaming properties significantly. When soap is the major ingredient in mixtures of soap and alkylarylsulfonate, foam height is critically dependent on concentration. When alkylarylsulfonate predominates, high foam levels are obtainable at low concentrations. The data reported permits selection of compositions from the ternary system for formulation with builders such that excellent detergency characteristics may be obtained under average conditions prevailing in household service, with high foaming characteristics as desired for agitator‐type machines, or with moderate, controllable foaming for cylinder machines.