Ethoxylation of fatty alcohols, fatty acids, esters
or amines results in production of ethoxylates. Ehtoxylates are known
for their cleaning, emulsifying and wetting properties and hence are
applied in several industries as surfactant products.
Ethoxylates are the non-ionic surface active agents
that do not form ions when in aqueous solutions. Hence they are often
referred as nonionic surfactant products. Available in different makes
and specifications, the ethoxylate surfactant formulations are good for
both household as well as industrial requirements.
The scope of usability of these ethoxylate products
extends over a wide range of industrial sectors. However the best
applications are confined to textile paper, agriculture, rubber,
leather, paints and cosmetics industries.
The polyoxyethylene alcohols or the popularly
so-called fatty alcohol ethoxylates are the best products for cleaning
applications in domestic sector. They are important for
laundry-detergent formulation, formulation of floor-cleaners and wax
stripper liquid, hand washing or waterless hand cleaner formulations.
Ethoxylate Surfactants for Textile Industry
The best among the applications of polyoxyethylene
alcohols or fatty alcohol ethoxylates is as industrial surfactant
products and in the textile industry. Alcohol ethoxylates for textile
industry are used for scouring, finishing, dyeing and lubricating the
fabrics. These are used for scouring operations like wool-scouring and
cotton kier viscose boiling-off and soaping-off. They are best for
dyeing cotton and play an important role as penetrates, wetting agent,
and dyeing assistants for textile applications.
Agriculture Industry
Ethoxylate surfactants in agriculture can give the
best applications as emulsifiers for sprays. They are not affected
either by hard water or any kind of pH changes and hence can best serve
as nonionic surfactants for agricultural use.
Rubber and Cosmetics Industries
The fatty alcohol ethoxlates for rubber industry can
give a better performance as excellent stabilizing agents for rubber
latex while on the other hand are ideal products used in manufacture of
cosmetics such as shampoos, skin cleansers, antibacterial wash etc.
Paint Industries
The ethoxylates in particular the lauryl myristyl
alcohol ethoxylates are of great use for solving the problems of
coagulation, agitation or milling of latex emulsions encountered during
the paint formulating operations. These nonionic surfactants show
excellent tolerance for hard water and hence are the best emulsifiers
used for emulsion polymerization of the base lattices in paint
formulation processes.
Leather Industries
The polyxyethylene surfactant products are ideal for
applications in leather industries. Degreasing, fat-liquoring, tanning,
and finishing of leather products are some of the best applications that
can be executed with these fatty alcohol ethoxylates.
Manufacturer and Supplier of Ethoxylates
Rimpro India is one of the best manufacturers and suppliers of surfactant products in India. The company provides a wide range of high quality surfactants including fatty alcohol ethoxylates, fatty acid ethoxylates, fatty amine ethoxylates, nonyl phenol ethoxylates, castor oil ethoxylates etc for various industrial applications.
This article educates reader about ethoxylates and industrial applications of ethoxylates as surfactants.
