Surfactantes

For that reason, such characteristics as solubility, surface tension reducing capability, critical
micelle concentration (cmc), detergency power, wetting control, and foaming capacity may make
a given surfactant perform well in some applications and less well in others

SURFACTANTS GROWING MARKETS

A few potentially fruitful areas of research include 1. Multifunctional surfactants (e.g., detergent
and fabric softener in a single structure) 2. More ecologically acceptable chemical structures 3.
New surfactants based on renewable raw materials 4. Surfactants with good chemical and thermal
stability 5. Highly biocompatible surfactants 6. Polymeric materials that show good surfactant
activity and produce viscosity enhancement 7. Materials that promise energy savings in terms of
their manufacture or functionality at lower temperatures

BIODEGRADATION FACTORS

Biodegradation may be defined as the removal or destruction of chemical compounds through the
biological action of living organisms

1. The chemical structure of the hydrophobic group is the primary factor controlling
biodegradability; high degrees of branching, especially at the alkyl terminus, inhibit
biodegradation.

2. The nature of the hydrophilic group has a minor effect on biodegradability.

3. The greater the distance between the hydrophilic group and the terminus of the hydrophobe,
the greater is the rate of primary degradation.

BASIC STRUCTURE