CH140L CHEMICAL PROCESS LABORATORY

School of Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering and Sciences

Production of Powdered Detergent

ABSTRACT

Detergent is an amphiphilic substance that is consists of a complex mixture of substances which have cleaning and
solubilization properties. There two types of laundry detergent: phosphate and surfactant. Phosphate detergent softens hard
water while surfactant detergent enhances dispersion, emulsification, foaming, and wetting of detergents. Linear alkyl-benzyl
sulfonic acid, an important component in detergent, is responsible for the dissolution rate and caking tendency of detergent.
Powder detergents could be synthesized through spray drying and wet granulation. For this experiment, it aims to understand
the process of making powdered detergent and identify the various roles of raw materials. The reagents were prepared based on
indicated formulation. Next, sodium carbonate and LABS were vigorously mixed then CFAS, STPP, sodium sulfate, and essential
were added and stirred until completely homogenized. Then, the same process was repeated for the remaining formulations.
The detergents from the three formulations were partly homogenized because build-up of agglomerates was observed. From the
components, CFAS and LABS acted as surfactants. STPP and sodium carbonate were determined as builders while sodium
sulfate was an additive.

Keywords: detergent, powder, surfactant, builder, additive

INTRODUCTION facilities in the fields of biology, chemistry, pharmaceuticals,

Laundry detergent powder is a type of detergent that is a
formulated, complex mixture of chemicals, such as auxiliary
compound, bleaches, boosters, builders, additives, and
surfactants, which have cleaning and solubilization
properties (Scott & Jones, 2000). It is also a known
amphiphilic substance, meaning it is both partly hydrophilic
and hydrophobic, which facilitates in the mixing of oils and
greases with water (Effendi, et al., 2017). One of the most
important ingredients in detergent is the sodium salt of linear
alkyl-benzyl sulfonic acid (LABS), a known surfactant. It has
physicochemical properties that is responsible for the caking
tendency and dissolution rate of the detergent (Farshchi,
Hassanpour, & Bayly, 2019).
There are two types of laundry detergents that are used
commercially: phosphate and surfactant detergents.
Phosphate detergents are highly caustic because of the
large presence of phosphates while surfactant detergents
are very toxic in nature (Bajpai & Tyagi, 2007). Phosphates
are used in softening hard water and in helping in the
suspension of dirt in the water (Knud-Hansen, 1994). On the
other hand, surfactants enhance the dispersing, emulsifying,
foaming, and wetting properties of the laundry detergent
(Effendi, et al., 2017).
Detergents have been consumed by two major markets,
namely, demands for household or commercial and industrial
or institutional products (Bajpai & Tyagi, 2007). Aside from
this, it has also been used in laboratories and research
and medicine, for example, chemical blockers, cell lysis
reagent, cell permeabilization inhibitor, gel electrophoresis
zwitterion, and membrane protein crystallizer and isolator
(Garavito & Ferguson-Miller, 2001).
Despite the useful applications of detergent, manufacturing
detergent caused an asthma outbreak in modern factories in
the 1960s (Cullinan, et al., 2000). Furthermore, partly
degraded surfactants from disposed detergents were
reportedly accumulate in marine and aquatic environments
which has toxic effects to living organisms over time
(Chawla, Viswanathan, & Devi, 1987). However, over the
years, one of the progresses in detergent was the regulation
of a much environment-safe and more compact and
concentrated formulations of the substance which will reduce
the amount of raw materials used during manufacturing and
decrease the price of the products (Showell, 2009). LABS,
the principal synthetic ingredient in laundry detergents, is
also reported to be biodegradable and eco-friendly (Ojo &
Oso, 2009).
In most industries, powder detergents are synthesized
through spray drying by ejecting an atomized slurry as
fluidized particles in a chamber filled with hot gas
(Hernandez, et al., 2021). Another procedure is through wet
granulation by pouring liquid binder to other agglomerated
particles while being stirred in a high shear mixer (Chateau,
Galet, Soudais, & Fages, 2005). However, if done poorly, this
could result to bad compression, formation of cakes, and

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 CH140L CHEMICAL PROCESS LABORATORY
School of Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering and Sciences

particle segregation (Chateau, Galet, Soudais, & Fages, essential oil according to the formulation in Table 1 in a basis
2005). 100 g were placed in placed in a 100-mL beaker using a
spatula and were weighed using an analytical balance
The experiment attains to synthesize powdered detergent in without including the mass of the beaker. The volume of
a laboratory. To achieve this objective, the following sub- sodium carbonate and sodium were also recorded using a
objectives are identified: (1) to understand the process of 100-mL graduated cylinder.
making powdered detergent, and (2) to identify the various
roles of the raw materials in making powdered detergent. After measuring the weight and volume of the components,
sodium carbonate was transferred in a 250-mL beaker and
MATERIALS AND METHODS LABS was then added while vigorously stirring the mixture
using a glass stirring rod. The change of temperature during
Materials the addition of LABS was observed by touching the outer
surface of the beaker. Lastly, CFAS, STPP, sodium sulfate,
The chemicals or reagent used for this experiment were and essential oil were incorporated into the mixture while still
coconut fatty alcohol sulfate (CFAS), linear alkyl-benzyl vigorously stirring until homogenized. The same procedure
sulfonic acid (LABS), sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP), light was repeated for the formulations of PD2 and PD3.
sodium carbonate, sodium sulfate, and essential oil.
Moreover, the apparatus and equipment used were an RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
analytical balance, 6 pcs. of 100-mL beaker, a 250-mL
beaker, a watch glass, a stirring, and a spatula. Table 1 After the experiment, it is observed that, for all the
shows the three different formulations of powdered detergent formulations, the components were homogenously mixed
(PD) by percent weight. however there are also build-up of agglomerates after the
addition of the solid components to the liquid mixture.
Table 1. Laundry Detergent Formulations
Reagent PD1 PD2 PD3 Surfactants affect the surface tension in aqueous solutions
CFAS 16.0% 11.2% 11.2% which were used as cleansing agent. CFAS is a fatty alcohol
LABS 0.0% 4.8% 4.8% while LABS is an organic compound with a hydrophilic head
STPP 0.0% 0.0% 5.0% and a hydrophobic tail. Both chemicals behave as nonionic
Sodium sulfate 42.0% 42.0% 39.5% surfactants. Because of this quality, it has been used in
Sodium carbonate 42.0% 42.0% 39.5% detergents for its emulsifying, moisturizing, and thickening
properties.
Methodology
Meanwhile, builders boost the cleaning power of the
detergent. STPP and sodium carbonate, both inorganic
compounds, act as a water softener and a chelating agent
which binds with dications in hard water in order to prevent
the deactivation of sulfates in the detergent. Sodium
carbonate also increases the pH level of the laundry
detergent. Whereas, additives enhance the performance of
the detergent. Sodium sulfate prevents the detergent stick
together and clump up by allowing the free flow of powders.
It also adjusts the concentration of dissolved oxygen in the
water which prevents the corrosion of appliances such as
washing machines and dishwashers.
Figure 1. Process flow diagram for Powdered Detergent
Synthesis CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The step-by-step procedure to produce laundry detergent The experiment succeeded to synthesize laundry detergent
was shown in Figure 1. For PD1, the required amount of powder in a laboratory using the following ingredients: CFAS,
CFAS, LABS, STPP, sodium carbonate, sodium sulfate, and LABS, STPP, sodium carbonate, sodium sulfate, and

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 CH140L CHEMICAL PROCESS LABORATORY
School of Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering and Sciences
essential oil. It was successful because the process in the
production of detergent was understood and followed
properly. Detergent is a complex mixture of inorganic
compounds which are combined and homogenized as a
product. Each component acts as a builder, additive, or
surfactant. CFAS and LABS both acted as the surfactant in
the detergent while STPP were the builder. Finally, sodium
sulfate and sodium carbonate were considered the additives
in the detergent.
It could be suggested to use mixing equipment such as
Lindor L10 Lab Mixer and Lindor L1000 Industrial Mixer to
prevent the build-up of detergent when mixing solid and
liquid reagents. Also, mixing equipment homogenously
distributes the liquid components to the solid powder
components and gently protects the integrity of the
agglomerates which avoids detergent build-up. Furthermore,
tests like stain removal test and foams test should be
performed in order to assess the effectiveness of the
detergent. Lastly, the three formulations of powdered
detergents should be compared with commercial brands of
laundry detergents to see if the lab-produced detergents
were up to the global and local standards.
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