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Marketing and economics of fatty alcohols
Author(s) -
Houston Colin A.
Publication year - 1984
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/bf02678764
Subject(s) - pulmonary surfactant , organic chemistry , chemistry , biodegradation , lauric acid , raw material , reputation , alkylbenzenes , pulp and paper industry , fatty acid , catalysis , engineering , biochemistry , social science , sociology
Alcohols represent 35% of the world's major surfactant intermediates, with natural alcohols accounting for one‐third of that percentage. Present trends suggest, however, that alcohols will become increasingly important in the detergent industry (the primary market for surfactants) during the next 10 years. Moreover, natural alcohols will frequently have an economic advantage over synthetics. Factors contributing to the growth of alcohols as surfactant intermediates include: better derivative biodegradability (especially compared to alkylbenzenes), better solubility (for use in low‐temperature washing and in liquid detergents), better hard‐water tolerance (for use in unbuilt liquid detergents), and a reputation for better detergency on synthetic fabrics. Factors favoring the natural alcohols (as opposed to the synthetics) include: frequently favorable raw material economics (especially as supplies of lauric oils increase), and integration of major manufacturers.