Are There Different Types of Surfactants?

/in /by

Are there different types of surfactants and what are they used for? The answer is yes, there are four different types of surfactants which are nonionic, anionic, cationic, amphoteric. These surfactants differ in composition and polarity. Surfactants also known as surface active agents, are used to lower the surface tension between liquids.  The four different types of surfactants are all used to lower surface tension, but as they have differing compositions, they do serve different purposes. The various applications surfactants can be used in are vast as surfactants can be used as emulsifiers, wetting agents, foaming agents, anti-foaming agents, and dispersants. Products including inks, soaps, detergents, waxes, paints and so much more require some type of surfactant for production. If you are in need of surfactants, but need help finding the right surfactants for your particular needs, Ecolink can help. 

What are different types of surfactants used for?

  • Nonionic Surfactants – These surfactants are often used as wetting agents or in coatings. Various products that make use of nonionic surfactants are polishes, cleaners, fragrances, and even some food products. 
  • Anionic Surfactants – Anionic surfactants are also often used as wetting agents and can be found in products such as laundry & dish detergents, toothpaste, shampoo, body soaps, and other bath products. 
  • Cationic Surfactants – Cationic surfactants have the ability to disturb and penetrate the cell membrane of viruses and bacteria, due to their positive charge. For this reason, cationic surfactants are often used in antimicrobial and antifungal products. 
  • Amphoteric Surfactants – Also known as Zwitterionic surfactants, these surfactants possess properties of both cationic and anionic surfactants. Amphoteric surfactants have quick dry properties and often used in paint and latex products to help them dry or coagulate quicker. 

Need to find a reliable surfactant supplier?

If you need to find high quality, affordable surfactant, contact Ecolink here! Ecolink is a long time, trusted provider of high quality chemical products, including surfactants. Ecolink and their knowledgeable team of experts is ready to help you find the right surfactants and other chemical products for your needs. 

Purpose of Surfactants in Shampoo

/in /by

What is the purpose of surfactants in shampoo? Surfactants function as surface tension disrupting agent in shampoos, detergents, and other cleaning products. Surfactants are used to break down and remove dirt and other impurities, due to their ability to dissolve the barrier between dirt, oil, and water. By breaking down this barrier, the surfactants essentially emulsify the dirt and oil that exist on the scalp, allowing it to be effectively washed away with water. If you are in need of affordable, high quality, surfactants for the production of shampoo or other cleaning agents, Ecolink can help. Ecolink is a trusted provider of chemical products, including surfactant, that will work with you to help you find the right product for your needs. 

Benefits of Shopping Surfactants with Ecolink:

  • Expert Advice – Ecolink is a long time provider of chemical products, and has expert knowledge to share with their clients. This allows Ecolink to not only understand your needs and help you find the best chemicals, but also provide vital information in safe use and storage to ensure safety. 
  • Bulk Availability – Ecolink can supply surfactants in bulk, offering quantities from 5 gallon buckets to 55 gallon drums.  
  • Eco Friendly Practices – Ecolink strives to supply chemicals and solvents in environmentally conscious manners, in addition to offering a wide variety of green chemical alternatives, and chemical recycling resources. 
  • Affordability – Ecolink offers competitive pricing, in addition to the pricing benefits of bulk shopping, so that quality and purity never need to be sacrificed when in need of these important chemical substances.  

Want more information about surfactants in shampoo?

If you need to find quality surfactants for shampoos, detergent, and other uses, contact Ecolink here! Ecolink and their team of experts are ready to answer your questions and help you find the best chemical products for your needs. Contact Ecolink today to get started!

Surfactants in Detergents

/in /by

Surfactants in detergents play a vital role of breaking down and removing dirt from surfaces such as clothes, skin, or surfaces. Surfactants are highly effective in this capacity as they are able to disturb and break down the interface that exists between oils, water, dirt, and other contaminants. For this reason, a high quality surfactant results in a high quality detergent. When searching for the right surfactants for your needs, you want to be sure you are working with a reliable supplier who will ensure you receive a safe, stable, and effective surfactant for an affordable price in addition to expert knowledge and guidance. If you are looking for surfactants to use in detergents or other areas, Ecolink can help.

Benefits of Surfactants from Ecolink:

  • Quality – Quality is very important when it comes to purchasing chemical products. Ecolink provides high quality, high purity chemical products, including surfactants, to ensure both satisfaction and safety with use. 
  • Bulk Availability – Ecolink also offers their surfactants in bulk quantities up to 55 gallons. This allows for the benefits of bulk pricing, in addition to always having enough supply of the products you need, on hand, for high production facilities. 
  • Affordability – In addition to bulk pricing benefits, Ecolink also strives to provide competitive pricing to their customers, so quality never has to be sacrificed when dealing with chemicals and solvents. 
  • Expertise – Ecolink and their knowledgeable team are always available to offer guidance when and knowledge when trying to find the right chemical for your needs. Ecolink is also happy to offer advice on safe use and storage of these chemical products to further ensure your safety. 

Want to learn more about surfactants in detergents?

If you would like to know more about surfactants in detergents, and their other uses, or need to find a reliable surfactant supplier, contact Ecolink here. Ecolink is a trusted chemical supplier who proudly provides high quality chemicals and solvents, in an environmentally conscious manner, for an affordable price. Contact Ecolink today to learn more!

Propylene

Propylene Glycol Versus Ethlyene Glycol

/in , , /by

Glycol an organic compound belongs to the alcohol family. One of the simplest members of the class is Ethylene Glycol which is one of the organic compounds being talked about in this blog, along with Propylene Glycol which is another member of this class that isn’t as simple as Ethylene Glycol.

What is Propylene Glycol?

For the simplest terms, Propylene Glycol is a liquid that has no color, no smell, and no taste and belongs in the chemical class of alcohol. Propylene alcohol serves the main purpose of absorbing water. People will commonly mistake Propylene glycol for Ethylene glycol, but the contrast is that Ethylene glycol is toxic. Propylene glycol is an additive product and serves many different purposes in a multitude of industries.

Some of these uses for Propylene Glycol include:

  • Food Industry Coolants
  • Deicing and antifreeze fluids
  • Non-ionic Detergents
  • Plasticizers
  • Hydraulic brake fluids
  • Solvent
  • Extractant
  • Humectant
  • Unsaturated Polyester Resins

What is Ethylene Glycol?

Slightly similar but different, Ethylene glycol is a synthetic liquid that also absorbs water. Ethylene glycol is odorless, colorless, and also in contrast has a sweet taste. As mentioned before, Ethylene glycol is toxic which makes it the biggest difference from Propylene glycol  besides having a taste, unlike the tasteless Propylene glycol. Ethylene glycol serves similar purposes in different industries but lacks some of the other uses and is limited in applications.

Some uses of Ethylene Glycol include:

  • Antifreeze and de-icing solutions
    • Auto
    • Aviation
    • Boating
  • Hydraulic brake fluid
  • Inks (used in)
    • Stamp pads
    • Ballpoint Pens
    • Print Shops

Toxicity?

Propylene glycol and Ethylene glycol through their descriptions and definitions have many similarities, but the biggest difference that needs to be discussed is their levels of toxicity and Ethylene glycol being heavily toxic. The ATSDR classifies Ethylene glycol as a CNS depressant, a similar substance would be ethanol, classifying it as a hazardous material. Ethylene glycol if ingested affects kidney function and can affect the acid/base balance in the human body. Propylene glycol is not toxic compared to Ethylene glycol because it’s recognized as safe by the ATSDR for the pharmaceutical and food industries, and rarely results in toxic effects. In circumstances where there was a toxic effect, it was in strange circumstances. Though they both serve important purposes one is safer for human consumption than others.

For more questions about chemicals, you may be handling or coming into contact with contact us here today!

MMineral Spirits Versus Acetone

Mineral Spirits Versus Acetone

/in /by

Two common solvents mineral spirits and acetone are used commonly for many different practices. In this blog, we are going to examine the two different kinds of solvents, their uses, and if they have similarities or differences between each other.

What are Mineral Spirits?

Mineral spirits are a petroleum replacement for other vegetable-based turpentine. For other clarification, turpentine is an oil made from turpentine or pine wood and is used in mixing paints. Mineral spirits are a clear liquid which is a common solvent that is organic for painting. There are many other names for specific kinds of mineral spirits. Mineral spirits can remove skin oils that help protect the skin. They should also not be ingested  because they can make it into your lungs, and cause irritation. Mineral spirits have many different uses, some uses for mineral spirits include:

  • Painting solvent
  • Paint Thinner for oil-based paint
  • Cleaning painting brushes
  • Degrease car parts
  • Help remove spilled paint
  • Remove scuff marks off wood
  • Restoring wood furniture
  • Shine outdoor tools

What is Acetone?

Acetone in simplest terms is also commonly called propanone. It is a colorless liquid that is very volatile and flammable with a strong odor to it. It is a solvent that is used in chemical reactions. It is one of the simplest fat-derived ketones which ketones are chemicals that your liver makes in your body. It is a natural chemical found in the environment and in the human body from the breakdown of fats. The natural organic kind of acetone has many other uses when not functioning naturally in the body some examples include:

  • Solvent to manufacture plastic
  • Solvent to manufacture many different industrial products
  • Cosmetics
  • Personal Care Products
  • Nail polish removers
  • Dissolves Styrofoam
  • Removes scuff marks
  • Cleans kitchen appliances
  • Remove ink stains

Mineral Spirits Versus Acetones

So what are some similarities and differences and what makes one better than the other? Well from up above many of the same applications can be used for both products especially in-home care areas in simple tasks like removing paint or ink stains, or scuff marks. In the differences, acetone is flammable whereas mineral spirits are less flammable. Acetone has a strong odor and is irritating while mineral spirits have either no odor or a kerosene-like odor. While some of their applications are the same mineral spirits are not used in the beauty industry at all like acetone because it’s used more in paints where acetone is used in nail polish removers and other similar categories.

If you are seeking chemicals in bulk and don’t know where to start, contact us here for more information.