What is surfactant?

The term surfactant is a blend of surface active agent. Surfactants are compounds that lower the surface tension (or interfacial tension) between two liquids or between a liquid and a solid. Surfactants may act as detergents, wetting agents, emulsifiers, foaming agents, and dispersants.

Surfactants are usually organic compounds that are amphiphilic, meaning they contain both hydrophobic groups (their tails) and hydrophilic groups (their heads). Therefore, a surfactant contains both a water-insoluble (or oil-soluble) component and a water-soluble component. Surfactants will diffuse in water and adsorb at interfaces between air and water or at the interface between oil and water, in the case where water is mixed with oil. The water-insoluble hydrophobic group may extend out of the bulk water phase, into the air or into the oil phase, while the water-soluble head group remains in the water phase.

Hunan Resun Auway Industrial CO.,Ltd. is a famous enterprise specializing in producing surfactants. Many kinds of products are in the leading position. Main surfactants include SLES, SLS, ALS, ALES, TEA lauryl sulfate, LABSA, α-Olefine-sodium sulfate, amine ramification etc. These surfactants are widely used in detergent, personal care and agrochemicals products.