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U.S. detergent/surfactant trends— 1980s1
Author(s) -
Haupt D. E.
Publication year - 1983
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/bf02901551
Subject(s) - laundry , pulmonary surfactant , raw material , business , consumption (sociology) , pulp and paper industry , economics , chemistry , waste management , engineering , organic chemistry , social science , biochemistry , sociology
The U.S. surfactant market is large, mature, and likely to grow at a rate of 2‐3% over the next 10 years. The household, personal care and industrial markets will maintain roughly the same market shares of the total that they have held historically. Within the household market, there should be a continued trend toward the use of alcohol‐based surfactants at the expense of linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS). Several factors point to greater usage of nonionics in the future: popularity of heavy‐duty liquids and detergents containing enzymes and fabric softeners, a trend to lower laundry wash temperatures and decreasing dependence on phosphate builders. In personal care end uses, alpha olefin sulfonates are expected to show growth due to cost performance advantages in liquid soaps and shampoos. The industrial surfactant market will remain highly segmented and will grow at ca. 3% annually, mainly as a result of overall industrial expansion. Ample capacity and anticipated feedstock availability at acceptable prices will allow producers of synthetic surfactants to satisfy demand through the rest of the decade. Research will lead to formulations aimed at cooler laundry washing conditions and increased enzyme usage. Enhanced oil recovery may involve new surfactants, but large‐scale consumption will not begin before the end of the decade.