Unravelling the Mystery of Wetting Agents: Common Types and Applications
Unravelling the Mystery of Wetting Agents: Common Types and Applications
In many industrial processes as well as in everyday life, we often see substances "blending" or "spreading" easily on the surface of other substances, and this is often due to wetting agents.What are the most common wetting agents and how do they play a vital role in various fields?Let's find out.
Anionic wetting agents
Sulfonates: such as sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate, which is an extremely common anionic wetting agent. In the field of detergents, it is like a diligent ‘cleaner’. When we add detergent to water to clean clothes, sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate can quickly reduce the surface tension of water, so that the water can better penetrate into the fibre crevices of the clothes, and ‘yank’ grease and other stains off the clothes, thus achieving a good cleaning effect. In the textile printing and dyeing industry, it can help the dyes to disperse evenly on the fabric surface, promote the combination of dyes and fabrics, and make the dyeing more even and firm.
Sulphates: Sodium Aliphatic Alcohol Ethoxylate Sulphate (AES) is a typical representative of this category. AES plays an important role in shampoo products. It not only has a good ability to remove dirt, but also reduces the surface tension between water and hair, scalp, so that the shampoo can be more smoothly spread in the hair, giving full play to the cleansing and care efficacy. At the same time, it is relatively mild and less irritating to the skin and eyes, which is one of the reasons why it is widely used in personal care products.
Cationic wetting agents
Cationic wetting agents are usually positively charged and are typically represented by quaternary ammonium compounds. This type of wetting agent excels in a number of special application scenarios. In the paper industry, they can be adsorbed on the surface of negatively charged fibres, improving the wettability between fibres, making the paper more uniform during the copying process, and improving the strength and quality of the paper. In addition, in some antibacterial and antimicrobial fields, quaternary ammonium wetting agents can also interact with the negative charge on the surface of bacteria by virtue of their cationic properties, destroying the cell membrane structure of bacteria, so as to achieve the purpose of antibacterial. However, since cationic wetting agents may react with some anionic substances to produce precipitation or reduce the effect, special attention needs to be paid to the compatibility of formulations when using them.
Non-ionic wetting agents
Polyoxyethylene type: Fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ether is a common polyoxyethylene type non-ionic wetting agent. It plays an important role in pesticide formulations. When we spray pesticides on crops, fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ether can reduce the contact angle between the pesticide solution and the surface of crop leaves, so that the pesticide spreads and adheres better on the leaves, and improves the utilisation rate of pesticides, so as to control pests and diseases more effectively. In the process of emulsion polymerisation, it can be used as an emulsifier to stabilise the emulsion system, ensure uniform dispersion of polymer particles and prepare emulsion products with excellent performance.
Polyol type: Glycerol fatty acid ester belongs to polyol type non-ionic wetting agent. In the food industry, it is often used as a food additive. For example, in bakery products, glycerol fatty acid esters can reduce the surface tension of the dough, make the dough softer and easier to process, and also prevent bread and other foods from losing water too quickly during storage, prolong the shelf life of the food, and maintain the taste and quality of the food. In the cosmetics industry, it is also commonly used in creams, lotions and other products to moisturise the skin and improve the texture of the product.
Amphoteric wetting agents
Betaine type: Cocamidopropyl betaine is a typical betaine-type amphoteric wetting agent. It is widely used in daily chemical products, especially in mild shower gels, facial cleansers and other products. Due to its amphoteric ionic structure, it shows good solubility and stability under acidic, alkaline and neutral conditions. It can act as a detergent like an anionic wetting agent, but also has some of the properties of a cationic wetting agent, such as a conditioning effect on skin and hair. The use of products containing cocamidopropyl betaine leaves skin and hair feeling softer and smoother, while causing minimal skin irritation, making it suitable for people with sensitive skin.
Amino Acid Type: Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate is an amino acid type amphoteric wetting agent. It is increasingly favoured in high-end personal care products. On the one hand, it has good surface activity and wettability, which can effectively clean the dirt on the surface of the skin; on the other hand, it is biodegradable and environmentally friendly, which is in line with the demand of modern consumers for green products. Moreover, as its structure is similar to the amino acids in human skin, it has excellent compatibility with the skin, and will not destroy the natural barrier function of the skin after use, but can provide certain protection and nourishment for the skin.
Common wetting agents play an indispensable role in many fields such as detergents, textiles, paper, pesticides, food, cosmetics and so on through their unique chemical structures and properties, bringing a lot of convenience and quality experience to our production and life. With the continuous progress of science and technology, the performance of wetting agents will continue to optimise, and the field of application will be further expanded.