Latest update date: November 29, 2023

Detergent Raw Materials

Synthetic detergents are a combination of surfactants and some washing auxiliary components according to a certain formula. The raw materials for detergents mainly include solvents (water or organic solvents), surfactants, additives, bleaching agents, fluorescent brighteners, and additives (auxiliary agents). The so-called additives are actually traditional terms, and in reality, they may be the main components of detergents. Some raw materials may also have synergistic effects, and many have multifunctional properties. The so-called small ingredients, such as essence, pigment, and enzyme, are added to enhance washing or improve the sense of the product. Narrowly speaking, surfactants are often referred to as active ingredients, while some alkaline substances (such as sodium carbonate and sodium silicate); Substances that reduce hardness, such as ion exchange agents (such as water-soluble polyacrylates and water-soluble 4A zeolites), chelating agents (sodium citrate, EDTA, sodium metaphosphate, sodium tripolyphosphate, hypoaminotriacetic acid, etc.), and sedimentation agents (sodium carbonate), are called additives.

Broadly speaking, all substances that contribute to the washing effect are collectively referred to as washing aids. In this way, in addition to surfactants, the active ingredients in washing are also active agents, including anti redeposition agents, foam stabilizers, thickeners, fluorescent brighteners, fabric conditioners, fungicides, corrosion inhibitors, adsorbents, and enzymes. The role of surfactants in washing is wetting, solubilizing, dispersing, and emulsifying stains. Some varieties also have other functional effects, such as alkanolamide, whose basic function is foam stabilization. In some detergent formulations (especially industrial detergents), surfactants may not exist, but some inorganic salts may be used as the main components of the detergent, such as alkaline substances, chelating agents, complexing agents, and bleaching agents.

In summary, the raw materials for detergents should have at least some of the following functions:

① Remove alkaline earth metal ions from water, fabrics, and dirt;

② Exert or strengthen the washing effect during the washing process;

③ Exert anti redeposition ability in multiple washing cycles; Prevent dirt from crusting on the fabric; Prevent dirt from depositing in the washing machine;

④ Commerciality, including chemical stability, industrial ease of handling, no water absorption, color and odor compliance with requirements, compatibility with other detergent components, stable storage, and ensuring the source of raw materials;

⑤ Ensure human safety;

⑥ Environmental properties, which can be metabolized through biodegradation, adsorption, and other mechanical actions, have no negative impact on the biological treatment system and surface water, no uncontrollable accumulation, no promoting effect on the flow of heavy metals, no eutrophication, and no adverse impact on drinking water quality.

Water

Washing is mostly carried out using water as the medium, and in liquid detergents, water is a raw material. The basic function of water in washing is to act as a solvent for dissolving soluble dirt and dispersing poorly soluble dirt, and as a medium for transmitting other washings.

Sodium carbonate

More than 100 years ago, the basic components of all detergents except soap were only sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, and sodium silicate, with these alkaline components alone accounting for over 50% of detergents. Its main function is: firstly, to make stains and fibers carry more negative charges when the pH value increases, thereby increasing the repulsion between stains and fibers; The second is the hardness ions in the precipitated water; The third is saponified oil. Until now, alkaline additives are still the main component of industrial detergent formulations. Sodium carbonate is a precipitation type water softener. Insoluble salts can easily deposit on substrates and washing machines, especially cotton fabrics, which have a very rough feel after washing and lack necessary dispersion and gelatinization. Therefore, it is not suitable to be used as a detergent additive alone and must be supplemented with other additives. Sodium bicarbonate cannot soften water, its function is to make the detergent alkaline. Some alkaline substances have a buffering effect on the pH value, which keeps the washing solution alkaline and maintains its decontamination ability. Sodium carbonate and sodium silicate are also good buffering agents.

Silicate

In the formula of synthetic detergents, silicates have a synergistic effect in detergency when used together with other additives. It has buffering capabilities for suspended stains and pH values.

Solvent

Solubility is essentially an intermolecular force. At the beginning of dissolution, multiple solvent molecules act on solute molecules. Although each molecule may have weaker forces, the accumulation of multiple forces can provide sufficient force to overcome the lattice energy of the solute and dissolve it. If water is used as a solvent, it is hydration. In terms of solvent decontamination, solvents not only have a direct effect on the solubility of solutes, but also have dispersing and suspending forces on insoluble solids and liquids. In addition, solvents can also serve as washing media, transferring the forces of chemicals in the detergent to the interface of dirt.

Surfactant

Molecules containing both hydrophilic and lipophilic groups are commonly referred to as amphiphilic structures, and compounds with this structure are commonly referred to as surfactants. The molecular structure characteristics of surfactants endow them with two basic properties: firstly, they can form an adsorption film on the surface of the solution (usually single molecule adsorption); The second is the occurrence of molecular self aggregation within the solution, forming various ordered molecular aggregates (called micelles or micelles) that concentrate in the interface region in a liquid composed of two immiscible liquids. This property enables surfactants to have many functions such as emulsification, wetting, solubilization, moisturizing, sterilization, softening, anti-static, foaming and defoaming, dispersion, flocculation, demulsification, etc. Surfactants include traditional surfactants and new surfactants. Traditional surfactants are mainly composed of simple amphiphilic structures with hydrocarbon groups as hydrophobic groups, and their only criterion is whether they can significantly reduce surface (interfacial) tension at lower concentrations.

Anti redeposition agent

Anti redeposition refers to the ability to prevent scaling and redeposition (graying) after increasing the number of washes. The function of anti redeposition agents is to prevent the deposition of heavy metal inorganic salts; The second is to prevent stains that have already been washed from depositing on the fabric. Generally, anti redeposition agents carry a large amount of negative charge or have good affinity with fabrics and dirt, allowing them to adsorb on the surface of dirt particles and fabrics. Especially when active substances and other alkaline salts are present in the liquid, their adsorption capacity is greater. And further through this adsorption, electrostatic repulsion or potential effects are generated between the dirt particles and the fabric, allowing the dirt particles to fully suspend without depositing on the fabric.

During the washing process, there are several competitive adsorptions between dirt and substrate: ① competition between anti redeposition agents and dirt; ② Competition between anti redeposition agents and surfactants; ③ Adaptability of anti redeposition agents to different substrates. Polymer substances such as blood and protein in dirt will adsorb onto fibers, while washing causes them to resolve from the fibers.

In washing, there is a competitive adsorption between fouling polymers and anti redeposition agents. If the former dominates, then the anti redeposition agent is ineffective. In the absence of surfactants, the adsorption process of most polymer substances onto solid surfaces is irreversible and very firm. The reason is that there are a large number of contact points between the polymer and the matrix.

Water softener

Water hardness activator refers to a compound that can remove hardness ions (mainly alkaline earth metal ions) from water. The mechanisms for removing hardness ions include precipitation, complexation, and ion exchange. Compounds that can serve as water softeners include inorganic salts, organic compounds, and zeolites. Although sodium carbonate and sodium orthophosphate can precipitate hardness ions, they are deposited on washed clothes, hence they are called precipitation type water softeners. A complexing agent is a substance that can form stable and water-soluble complexes with hardness ions or high valent metal ions in water.

Stabilizers, foam suppressants, and defoamers

The role of foam in washing Hand washing detergent, shampoo, etc. need a stable foam, but machine detergent, wall high-pressure spray is not. Foam makes people feel the existence of detergent, and foam covers the dirt. Foam can selectively absorb and carry dirt, especially solid dirt particles, and the dirt concentration on foam is much higher. Foam is a sign of whether washing is effective, because oil stains can inhibit foam. The dish washing evaluation method for dishwashing detergent is based on this. Foam is also an indicator of whether rinsing is clean or not. However, evaluating a group of detergents and surfactants based on their foaming and stabilizing forces is not objective, as there are too many exceptions. For example, non ionic surfactants have a much lower foaming power than soap, but their cleaning power is much better than soap. It can be seen that the rich foam does not necessarily have strong washing power, and the absence of foam does not necessarily mean that the rinsing is clean. Washing and rinsing are very complex processes, and the relationship between foam and detergent detergency is not certain. For the washing machine, due to the surface tension of foam, the speed of the washing machine decreases, the power consumption increases by 10%~20%, and a large amount of water is consumed in washing.

Formation, attenuation and stability of foam

Foam is a dispersion system in which gas is dispersed in liquid, that is, bubble aggregates separated by liquid film or solid film. The foam formed only by gas and liquid is two-phase foam, and when it contains solid powder (such as the foam formed in mineral processing), it is multiphase foam. The washing liquid is liquid foam, while bread and foam plastic are solid foam. In liquid foam, gas is discontinuous phase (dispersed phase) and liquid is continuous phase (dispersed medium). Because the density difference between gas and liquid is very large, the foam in liquid rises to the liquid level very quickly, so this foam belongs to an unstable system. Because of the formation of foam, the surface area of the liquid increases, and the energy of the system increases. Foam stability refers to the persistence of foam, that is, the "life" of foam. From the energy point of view, low surface tension is beneficial to the formation of foam and can do less work. The life of foam depends to a certain extent on the liquid discharging speed and the strength of the liquid film. The foam discharges slowly and the strength of the liquid film is large, and the more stable the foam is.

In liquid, the necessary conditions for forming foam are stirring (introducing air) and the presence of substances that can reduce the surface tension. However, unstable foam is of little significance, such as butanol solution, whose bubbles disappear quickly. The significance of surface tension in equilibrium is not significant, and the decisive factor is immediate surface tension. The discharge process of a bubble liquid film is a spontaneous process that reduces the free energy of the discharged liquid. The molecular membrane of surfactant can block the liquid movement on the membrane, and also plays a role in surface repair of the liquid membrane, thus stabilizing the foam.

If the foam film has a large viscosity, it can also prevent the drainage process, so it is often necessary to add foam stabilizer. Commonly used foam stabilizers include fatty acid alkanolamide, fatty acid monoethanolamide (RCONHCH2CH2OH), fatty acid propanolamide (RCONHCH2CH2CH2OH), fatty acid N, N-diethanolamide [RCON (CH2CH2OH) 2], betaine, and sulfobetaine; Amine oxide, alkyl dimethyl amine oxide, etc. Alkyl alcohol amides of palmitic acid and tallow fatty acids are commonly used in granular detergents, while alkyl alcohol amides of lauric acid and myristic acid are used in liquid detergents.

Inhibition and disappearance of foam

The substances that inhibit the foaming of solution and promote the disappearance of foam are called foam inhibitor or defoamer. The common characteristic of these substances is their extremely low water solubility and high surface expansion pressure. Although their physical and chemical properties are different, it can be assumed that the foam inhibition mechanism is: either forcing the surfactant molecules off the surface of the detergent, or penetrating the detergent surface that has been occupied by the surfactant, resulting in holes, which weaken the mechanical strength of the foam wall film, leading to the collapse of the foam. Oils, fatty acids and higher alcohols can inhibit foam. The oily dirt generates emulsion during washing, which inhibits foam. Non ionic surfactants are mostly low foaming surfactants, some of which have good anti foaming and defoaming abilities.

Fluorescent Brightener (FWA)

Fluorescent whitening agents make white washed items appear cleaner, making colored items more bright and refreshing. Fluorescent brighteners are a type of fluorescent substance that absorbs ultraviolet light and emits blue or purple blue. The reason why it has a whitening effect is that substances adsorbed with fluorescent whitening agents can not only reflect visible light shining on objects, but also convert invisible ultraviolet light into visible light, thereby increasing the reflectivity of objects to light. Due to the increase in the amount of visible light reflected, the intensity of the reflected light exceeds the intensity of the original visible light projected on the processed object. Therefore, the eye feels that the object has been whitened by fluorescent whitening agents.

Cotton, linen, and other fabrics composed of natural cellulose contain a large amount of colored substances that turn yellow when left untreated. Fabrics composed of natural and synthetic fibers also gradually turn yellow during washing and weaving processes. The yellowing of white, a composite color, is caused by a loss in the relative intensity of blue band light reflected from the illuminated object. Therefore, early people used certain direct blue dyes to dye fabrics blue to visually mask the yellowing of the fabric, but this caused a decrease in the brightness of the fabric, resulting in a dull visual sensation. The fluorescent whitening agent used in washing emits blue or blue-purple fluorescence, which perfectly fills its defects and restores the whiteness of the fabric.

Bleaching agents, bleaching activators, bleaching stabilizers, bleaching catalysts, optical bleaching agents Bleaching is a change in the direction of substrate towards decolorization. Chemical bleaching causes oxidation or reduction degradation of the color system, damages the color system, enhances its water solubility, and is easy to remove from the fabric. The colored substances from natural plants are mainly compounds containing polyphenols, such as red to blue anthocyanins (dishes, berries, raisins), turmeric dyes (curry, mustard), gray tannins (fruits, tea, red wine), humic acid type organic polymers (coffee, cocoa), pyrrole derivatives (chlorophyll, betaine, urine), carotenoids (carrots, tomatoes), etc, Dyes in industrial products also belong to the category of bleachable substances.

Chlorine bleach

Sodium hypochlorite has a strong bleaching effect in cold water. But its stability is poor and effective chlorine is easily lost. It can cause damage to some dyes, cause discoloration, and interact with spices, enzymes, and fluorescent brighteners, making it rare to directly blend into detergents.

Oxygen containing bleach

Peroxides used as bleaching agents include hydrogen peroxide, sodium perborate, sodium percarbonate, and peroxycarboxylic acid. Oxygen based bleaching agents are generally unstable towards metals (especially iron) and are prone to decompose into hydrogen peroxide and become ineffective when in contact with metals.

Bleach activator

Bleaching activators are a type of compound that, when used together with bleach, can activate the bleach and reduce its oxygen release temperature. This type of activator is usually an acylating agent, which undergoes a nucleophilic substitution reaction with - OOH in a bath to produce peroxycarboxylic acid, usually peroxyacetic acid. Due to its high oxidation potential, peroxycarboxylic acids also exhibit significantly stronger bleaching performance than H2O2 at low temperatures.

Peroxide stabilizer

The decomposition of hydrogen peroxide leads to the loss of bleach and oxidative degradation of the fabric, resulting in damage.

Bleaching catalyst

Some piperidine derivatives can activate peroxides at low temperatures. They first react with peroxides to form an unstable and oxidizing intermediate epoxide, which releases reactive oxygen species and then transforms back into its original form. During this process, the piperidine compound is not consumed, so it can also be called a catalyst.

Optical bleaching agent

The use of sunlight to expand its bleaching effect has introduced a new concept into the washing field. During the process of photobleaching agent action, the photosensitive compound first absorbs solar energy and becomes an excited singlet state, which is then cross-linked within the system to form a triplet state. This three-line excited state photosensitive compound transfers energy to oxygen molecules in the air, making them monoatomic oxygen. This excited state of oxygen molecule has high energy and immediately reacts with stains, pigments, and microorganisms, turning them into colorless fragments, thereby bleaching and disinfecting the fabric.

Enzyme

Enzymes belong to proteins and are composed of 20 different amino acids. They accelerate hundreds of spontaneous reactions in cells and are essential substances for the existence and continuation of life. Compared with traditional technologies, the application of enzymes greatly saves energy, equipment, and chemical raw materials. The development of genetic engineering and protein engineering has provided conditions for the development of enzymes and enzymatic detergents with alkali resistance, antioxidant activity, and thermal stability. The low-temperature washing has opened up space for the application of enzymes. The addition of enzymes not only compensates for the shortcomings of surfactants and other additives, but also reduces their dosage.

Enzymatic detergent (EHDLD) is a product that contains enzyme preparations in the detergent. Almost all enzyme preparations used in detergents are made using genetic factor conversion technology, and there are four representative varieties: protein lyase, lipid lyase, starch lyase, and cellulase. Recently developed enzyme preparations include: mannanase, peroxidase, laccase, and pectinase.

In contrast to the way surfactants remove dirt, enzymes degrade dirt into smaller fragments that are better soluble in water or more easily solubilized by surfactants. Particulate dirt is often adhered to textile fibers through protein, starch, or fat adhesive, and is released through enzymatic degradation of the "adhesive" material, which can be removed by detergents.

Protease

Proteases can remove human dirt that is difficult to remove by general methods, such as skin derived proteins, fecal excreta, proteins in milk, and proteins in food residues. Base acids and other dirt that is wrapped or adhered to by protein dirt are also removed.

Lipase

Lipase can decompose triglyceride dirt into water-soluble substances under alkaline conditions, and also has the ability to inhibit the re contamination of hydrophobic fibers by triglycerides. Lipase has good alkali resistance and surfactant resistance, and is suitable for various substrates.

Amylase

Amylase can decompose starch like dirt and prevent the re contamination and re deposition of degraded low molecular starch. Starch is widely used as a raw material for food and skincare products, as a sizing agent for clothing, and as a sizing agent in fabric manufacturing processes.

Cellulase

Cellulase is an enzyme that primarily targets cotton fibers. With the increase of washing times or the effect of shear force on drying, fine fibers appear on the surface of cotton fibers. This reduces the surface tension between fibers and stains, resulting in a decrease in the effectiveness of laundry detergent based on the mechanisms of dirt emulsification, dispersion, and solubilization. Cellulase is a type of enzyme that hydrolyzes cellulose and exposes fine filaments β- The 1,4 bond can invade the non crystalline region of cotton single fibers, soften the colloidal crystals composed of cellulose molecules and water, and cause stains enclosed within to flow out from the fibers.

Mannaway

Mannaway is a type of endomannan glycoside of mannans. The mannanase in this product is a 33kDa hemicellulase that was cloned from an alkaline bacterial strain 1633 to another strain (Bacillus Li cheniformis). It can cut open galactomannan β- 1,4 mannose bonds, such as the corresponding bonds of neutral pectin such as cut guar gum. The hydrolysis product is mannose oligosaccharide. Mannaway can improve the overall cleaning effect and also enhance the removal of difficult to wash stains such as BBQ sauce and ice cream.

Mixed enzyme

Often, a combination of two or more enzymes has a synergistic effect on decontamination.

Thickener

Thickener, also known as tackifier or gelling agent, can improve the viscosity of the system, keep the system in a uniform and stable suspension state or milky state, or form gel. Liquid detergents often require a certain consistency, i.e. viscosity, due to sensory needs, ease of use and transportation, and the inherent requirements of some detergents, such as wall adhesion, in order for detergents to retain and exert effective effects.

Adsorbent

Some adsorbents are often added to hard surface cleaning agents and carpet cleaning agents for household and exterior walls to assist in decontamination, and sometimes adsorbents are also used for the recovery of dry cleaning solvents. The adsorption effect of an adsorbent comes from its physical and chemical adsorption properties, as well as its enormous specific surface area. There are a large number of micro hole structures within the particles of the adsorbent, which are active on the surface of the particles and can selectively adsorb a large amount of stains. In addition to physical adsorption, there is also chemical adsorption.

According to surface properties, adsorbents can be roughly divided into two categories: polar and non-polar. The former is mainly composed of silica gel, molecular sieve, and activated alumina, while the latter is mainly composed of carbonaceous substances such as activated carbon and carbon black.

preservative

Preservatives are substances that have the ability to kill microorganisms or inhibit their proliferation. Starting from the concept of antimicrobial agents, they can be more accurately referred to as antimicrobial agents or antimicrobial agents.

Fungicide

Detergents containing disinfectants are called washing disinfectants.

(1) Efficient disinfectants are disinfectants that can kill various microorganisms (including bacterial spores), such as glutaraldehyde, peracetic acid, sodium hypochlorite, calcium hypochlorite (bleaching powder), sodium dichloroisocyanurate (Youlujing), trichloroisocyanurate, triclosan, etc.

(2) A medium effective disinfectant that can kill various bacterial propagules (including tuberculosis bacteria), as well as most viruses and fungi, but cannot kill bacterial spores. Such as iodine containing disinfectants (iodophor, iodine tincture), alcohols, phenolic disinfectants, etc.

(3) Low efficiency disinfectants are disinfectants that can kill bacterial propagules and lipophilic viruses, such as quaternary ammonium salt disinfectants such as benzalkonium bromide, and biguanidine disinfectants such as dichlorobenzidine hexane (chlorhexidine, chlorhexidine). When preventing disinfection, appropriate disinfectants should be selected according to the needs of the disinfection object and task. If a disease occurs, it is best to use high-efficiency disinfectants for extermination, or use disinfectants that have been tested and verified by authoritative institutions to have accurate killing effects for extermination.

Corrosion inhibitor

Corrosion inhibition is the process of slowing down corrosion. Corrosion inhibitors are chemicals or mixtures of several substances that can prevent or slow down corrosion when present in an appropriate concentration and form in the environment (medium). Adding trace or small amounts of such chemicals can significantly reduce the corrosion rate of metal materials in this medium until it reaches zero, while also maintaining the original physical and mechanical properties of the metal material. The dosage of corrosion inhibitors generally ranges from a few thousandths to a few percent.

Pre washing agent, reinforcing agent, softening agent, firming agent, fiber forming agent, dehydration auxiliary agent

Laundry pretreatment aids and enhancers are both used to enhance the washing effect or to pre focus on washing certain stains. Laundry aftertreatment aids include fabric softeners, sizing agents, straighteners, fiber shaping agents, and fabric drying aids. The post-washing treatment agent refers to the basic removal of dirt after washing, but the washed fibers still need to be treated again. Its purpose is to repair the damaged and reduced performance of the washed fabric during the washing process, including restoring and enhancing elasticity, rigidity, size adaptability, matching of various parts of the fabric itself, as well as hand sensitivity, luster, hardness (tablecloth and napkin), suitable drape (curtains) Fluffy and soft feeling (underwear, towels, and pajamas), anti-static properties (easy to care items made of synthetic fibers), etc.

Basic requirements for detergent formulations

(1) The formula must comply with the immediate regulations and standards of each country and region.

(2) The formula should meet the requirements of the washing object.

(3) The formula should consider the region and conditions of use. For example, the hardness of water and the amount of chelating agent used in the formula; The requirements of regional temperature for the stability of product states; The relationship between the content of active components and the washing frequency of the clothing used.

(4) The formula should consider the stability of the raw material source. When choosing raw materials, it is best not to import domestically produced ones; There are cheap ones that are not expensive; There is no need for rare things.

(5) The formula should consider the convenience and possibility of transportation. Relatively speaking, solids are easy to transport, while liquids are easy to prepare and save energy.

(6) The composite product should have stability and comply with relevant regulations under changing regions, temperature changes, and different transportation conditions.

Production of detergents

Production of powder detergent

Powder detergent production is generally divided into three processes: spray drying, agglomeration molding and dry mixing. Spray drying is mostly used to produce ordinary laundry powder with small bulk density. Agglomeration molding and dry mixing are more suitable for producing concentrated laundry powder with large bulk density. The basic raw materials for preparing laundry detergent, such as surfactants, additives, and other additives, are often supplied in liquids and suspensions. Therefore, the production process of manufacturing laundry detergent should first consider removing moisture from it. The hot spray method is to connect the detergent components to the disc in the spray tower, and introduce air at the same time. It is called evaporation method, which uses heat to evaporate excess water. This method has a high dust content and poor fluidity. The method of producing hollow particle laundry detergent is to pass the slurry liquid through a series of nozzles fixed at the top of the tower under high pressure, resulting in larger droplets than those generated by the disk method. When these droplets come into contact with hot air, they begin to expand, forming hollow particles with relatively uniform particle size, good fluidity, and good dispersibility.

The basic raw materials, formulas, and production methods of powder laundry detergent all affect product performance: ① the degree of assurance of basic raw material activity; ② Moisture content; ③ Apparent density; ④ Uniformity; ⑤ Particle distribution; ⑥ Liquidity; ⑦ Dust behavior; ⑧ Dispersion, etc.

Powder detergent is increasingly constrained by economic and environmental factors, so any new technology must also be evaluated based on the following aspects: ① investment, production process, consumption of raw materials and energy; ② The elasticity of the basic raw materials available; ③ Legal standards for factory operation, environmental pressure, and product characteristics.

The spray drying tower together with the attached pipes, pumps, fans, etc. represents a huge investment, while the evaporation of 20%~40% water means a huge energy consumption. As a result, methods such as composite forming have emerged that have advantages in energy conservation and equipment investment. However, the spray method is a combination of drying and molding process, which has many advantages. Therefore, the equipment and process are constantly improving. In recent years, spray drying technology has made new progress on the basis of computer models. The digital model answers many questions in the spray drying process. The new spray drying equipment (they are more spray drying towers and fluidized bed integrated devices) can provide better quality control, less energy consumption, less fine powder, and higher efficiency.

Production of liquid detergent

Compared with powdered detergents, liquid detergents have the advantages of convenient use, fast dissolution (dispersion) speed, good low-temperature washing performance, flexible formula, simple manufacturing process, low equipment investment, low energy consumption, and low processing cost.

Liquid detergent production process

The main processes of liquid detergent production are as follows.

(1) Some raw materials need to be melted, while others need to be dissolved or pre mixed. Generally, high level tanks are used to measure a large amount of liquid materials, and quantitative pumps are used to transport and measure raw materials such as water. Some raw materials need to be filtered to remove mechanical impurities, and the water used needs to be deionized.

(2) Emulsified homogeneous liquids that have only undergone emulsification often have poor stability. After homogenization, the particles in the dispersed phase of the lotion are finer and more uniform, and the product is more stable.

(3) Due to stirring and the action of surfactants in the product, a large number of bubbles are generated during exhaust, filtration, aging, and packaging. The bubbles have a continuous force towards the liquid surface, which can cause a decrease in the stability of the solution and inaccurate packaging measurement. Generally, the vacuum exhaust process is used to quickly remove bubbles from the liquid. Some specialized equipment does not require exhaust treatment.

Filter before packaging to remove mechanical impurities; During the preparation process to remove flocs. After product preparation, store it in a can for a few hours and wait for its performance to stabilize before packaging, which is considered aging. Formal production using canning machines and packaging assembly lines; Small batches can be manually canned at high levels.

The liquid detergent production line and equipment using intermittent batch production process mainly include production units such as water treatment equipment, high-efficiency emulsification and homogenization equipment, vacuum equipment filtration, packaging and filling equipment. This device can produce liquid detergent for fabrics, liquid detergent for tableware, hair cleaning agents (shampoo, conditioner), body cleaning agents (hand sanitizer, foot wash, facial cleanser, oral cleanser, etc.), and hard surface cleaning agents for household living rooms (mainly used for cleaning sanitary facilities, furniture, walls, etc.).

Main equipment for liquid detergent production

1. Material conveying equipment; 2. Mixing and emulsification equipment; 3. Mixing equipment; 4. Homogeneous emulsification machine; 5. Static mixer; 6. Micro jet emulsification equipment; 7. Ultrasonic emulsification device

Quality Control of Liquid Detergent Production

1. Control of viscosity. Viscosity is not only an indicator of product performance requirements, but also often a control factor for achieving smooth operation. In addition to the thickener, many factors such as pH value, raw materials, impurities, and process have an impact on viscosity too.

2. Avoidance of product deterioration, odor, and thinning. This is a problem caused by unfavorable anti-corrosion measures. Preservatives can only work when the product has not yet decayed. Once spoilage occurs due to bacterial action, adding them again will not work Under acidic conditions, these preservatives can pass through the cell membrane of hydrophobic phospholipid bimolecules in the form of protonation; If the pH is high, organic acid preservatives with negative charges cannot pass through the cell membrane and lose their activity Maintaining the reliability of the water treatment system itself, especially the ion exchange column, is highly susceptible to the proliferation of microorganisms The sterilized water used in production cannot be stored for a long time, and the water stored overnight needs to be disinfected again.

3. Avoidance of product turbidity and layering, Product quality is affected by various factors, such as turbidity.

4. Stability issues of sodium hypochlorite disinfectant detergent.

Classification of detergents

There are many ways to classify detergents: ① raw materials; ② Physical state; ③ Purpose; ④ Washing object; ⑤ Specialized washing objects, such as laundry detergents, tableware detergents, bath liquids, carpet cleaners, and hair detergents.

With the development of the detergent industry, the above classification is becoming increasingly lax. Even soap and synthetic detergents are increasingly penetrating each other, and soap is developing towards composite soaps and various color varieties, adding a large amount of synthetic characteristic raw materials; Synthetic detergents, in order to meet the requirements of low foaming, mild, and degradation on the human body or the environment, are often mixed with soap from natural raw materials. For example, utility detergents and household detergents, it is commonly believed that utility detergents are either highly alkaline or high solvent, but hand washing utility detergents are being developed. Although the high foam industrial detergent is beneficial to washing, the application of advanced washing methods (such as high-pressure jet washing of machines and parts) is more suitable for advanced equipment.

'Heavy scale' and 'light scale' do not refer to the degree of dirt. Heavy scale detergents can also be called strong detergents. Heavy scale detergent can wash cotton fiber fabrics because the hydroxyl groups on the surface of cotton fibers are hydrophilic, making it easy to adsorb starch, protein, fat, and inorganic stains. Moreover, the hollow structure of cotton fibers makes it difficult to clean the adsorbed stains, and over time, they are prone to deterioration and discoloration. The resistance of cotton fibers to alkalinity and other factors constitute the characteristics of heavy scale detergents. Light scale detergents are called easy care detergents abroad, used to wash fabrics such as silk, wool, and nylon. This type of fiber is not easy to harbor stains. Synthetic fibers such as nylon and polyester are difficult to adsorb hydrophilic dirt due to their hydrophobicity, but if gasoline is contaminated, it is difficult to remove it. Some hand washing detergents (such as hand washing dishwashing agents) are also called light scale detergents.

The range of hard surface detergents is very wide, involving various hydrophilic and hydrophobic matrices, and the types of dirt are diverse. Hard surface detergents include household, utility, and industrial detergents, most of which belong to in-situ washing. In fact, the various detergents listed above intersect with each other.

Detergents

Universal hard surface detergent

Hard surface cleaners have a wide range, including non porous and semi porous hard surfaces, in situ cleaners, such as dishwashing agents, locomotive cleaning agents, and metal cleaning agents. Generally speaking, hard surface detergents are formulated for a wide range of stains, including foods from many different sources (hydrocarbons, fats, and proteins), mineral oils and fats, body fluids, clay, and charcoal particles. Typical hard surfaces include glass, ceramics, polyethylene and polypropylene, marble, metal, wood, and porcelain surfaces. These hard surfaces are found both inside and outside the home and workplace, such as mirrors, windows, washbasins and bathtubs, bathroom and kitchen facilities, kitchen utensils and microwave and oven walls, tables and countertops, and floors. When designing a hard surface detergent formula, the main purpose is not only to remove oil stains, but also to keep the hard surface intact and, if possible, should not leave traces of detergent.

Powder detergent

The main components of powder laundry detergent or washing powder are anionic surfactants, sodium alkylbenzene sulfonate, a small amount of non ionic surfactants, and some additives such as phosphate, silicate, sodium sulfate, fluorescent agents, enzymes, etc. They are made through mixing, powder spraying, and other processes. Nowadays, most of them use 4A fluorite instead of phosphate. Washing powder refers to a powdered (granular) synthetic detergent.

Liquid detergent

The active ingredients of laundry detergent are mainly non ionic surfactants, with structures including hydrophilic and lipophilic ends. The lipophilic end combines with stains, and then separates stains and fabrics through physical movements (such as hand rubbing or machine movement). At the same time, surfactants reduce the tension of water, allowing it to reach the surface of the fabric and allow the active ingredients to function.

Laundry pods

Laundry beads, designed specifically for machine washing, are simple to operate and convenient to use without getting dirty. A small laundry bead can wash a tube of clothes. The scent is fragrant, the texture is soft and smooth, and the thickness is moderate. The properties are mild and do not harm the clothes. The unique low foam concentrated color locking formula is easier to rinse, and the condensation beads dissolve in water without residue. It can also effectively and quickly remove stubborn stains and make the clothes clean as new.

Laundry sheets

Laundry tablets are a multifunctional ecological washing new product developed using German nano ultra concentration technology. Compared with traditional methods, they greatly improve the product's decontamination ability. They are phosphorus free, additive free, and do not harm hands. After encountering water, laundry tablets can quickly decompose and dissolve, releasing nano level clean small molecules, and purifying stubborn stains deposited on clothes more deeply and thoroughly.

color bleach

Color bleach enhances color and can also sterilize. The color bleaching liquid contains certain chemical bleaching agents or optical bleaching agents. Bleach mainly targets organic pigment stains (such as blood stains, tea stains, etc.) and some protein stains (such as urine stains, sweat stains, etc.). Its mechanism of action is to release atomic oxygen through chemical reactions to remove stains from the clothes or themselves. Various pigments formed by yellowing are oxidized into colorless substances, thereby restoring the original bright color of the clothes.

Laundry soap

Laundry soap is a block or strip of hard soap, mainly composed of sodium fatty acids. In addition, laundry soap also contains cleaning aids, fillers, etc. Such as alkali, sodium carbonate, zeolite, colorants, transparent agents, calcium soap dispersants, spices, fluorescent brighteners, etc. Laundry soap is an alkaline detergent, and its aqueous solution is alkaline. Its decontamination power is strong, the foam is moderate and easy to use. The disadvantage is that it is not resistant to hard water and can produce soap stains when washed in hard water.

Toilet soap

Soaps are generally solid block products, but there are also cream and liquid products. The use of soap is different from that of laundry soap, as it generally targets the skin of the human body, such as washing hands, face, and shower. With the improvement of people's living standards, it is not only required to have the function of skin cleaning, but also to have some new functions such as skincare, beauty, sterilization, deodorization, etc.

Dishwashing liquid

Dishwashing liquid used to clean dirt such as fatty acids, esters, proteins, hydrocarbons, etc. on food utensils. Generally, it is divided into hand wash dishwashing agents and machine wash dishwashing agents. Hand wash dishwashing agents are relatively mild, while machine wash dishwashing agents usually have high alkalinity.

Household cleaner

1. Wallpaper cleaner; 2. Furniture polishing cleaner; 3. Floor cleaner; 4. Carpet cleaner

Leather cleaner

Leather cleaner and conditioner has dual functions of cleaning leather surface and nursing. The objects to be washed are artificial or leather clothing, shoes, saddles, reins, sofa cushions, car cushions, belts, leather gloves, etc. However, general fabrics and products such as hard surface detergents, leather fatliquors, or shoe polish, such as soap and laundry detergent, can easily cause leather wrinkles and cracks, or the latter can cause surface accumulation, block leather pores, and affect breathability and service life.

Building exterior wall cleaning agent

Due to long-term wind and rain, as well as the effects of dust, harmful gases (such as H2S, SO2, CO2, NO2), and sunlight ultraviolet rays in the atmosphere, a thin and uneven adhesive layer is formed on the surface of buildings, causing them to lose their original color and brightness. And with the increase of industrialization and coal burning, it intensifies. This not only causes corrosion on the surface of buildings, but also affects their service life. Therefore, regular cleaning of building exterior walls is becoming increasingly important.

Facial cleanser, facial cleanser, facial mask, shower gel

Bathing liquid (bath lotion), facial cleanser, facial mask, hand sanitizer, hair conditioner, etc. are all human body detergents. Their basic functions are to make skin clean, comfortable, and lubricated. They may also have some other effects such as skin care, beauty care, astringency, and rejuvenation. They need less irritation as hair detergents. The pH value of the human skin surface is generally between 4.5 and 6.2. Only by using cleansers with pH values close to the skin, such as weakly acidic and neutral products, can the skin be protected from rough and damaged.

Hand washing products

There are generally liquid products and powdered products for hand wash. Liquid products are also divided into hand washing liquid that require flushing and hand sanitizer that do not need water. Hand sanitizer refers to a type of hand washing products that can wipe off oil stains without washing with water, and has a skincare effect. Hand washing powder is commonly used by locomotive repair personnel or absenteeism.

Shampoo

Hair detergents should meet the requirements of both detergents and cosmetics. The main products include shampoo and conditioner.

Shaving gel

The use of shaving agents can improve shaving speed, reduce skin damage, and create a comfortable feeling for the skin. Foam shaving cream is usually oil in water emulsion cream. When used, foam can be applied to the skin and beard to quickly moisten and lubricate the hair. A good shaving product should also have functions such as skincare, moisturizing, sterilization, anti-inflammatory, and relieving irritation.

Dry cleaning agent

Dry cleaning is a typical washing method that utilizes the solubility of solvents and the solubilization ability of surfactants, also known as solvent washing. It can prevent irreversible shrinkage of wool and silk fabrics caused by water washing. However, dry cleaning agent formulas often contain a small amount of water (below 5%), which makes oil-soluble dirt soluble in organic solvents. At the same time, water-soluble dirt can be removed due to the solubilization of the reverse micelles of surfactants.

Vehicle surface cleaning agent

Vehicle dirt includes oil, clay, and carbon deposits, as well as bird excrement. The dirt load on vehicles is relatively high, especially on trucks and tank trucks. Therefore, these detergents have high active ingredients, including alkaline additives, organic chelating agents, dirt dispersants, and sometimes solvents. Due to road fouling, the concentration of chelating agents added is often high to remove hardness ions from water, otherwise it consumes surfactants. Vehicle cleaning agents involve surfaces with different properties such as paint, porcelain, aluminum alloy, and glass. These surfaces are highly susceptible to corrosion or scratching under high alkaline solution conditions. Aluminum is the most sensitive to chemical corrosion, with slight blue scratches, known as aluminum blue. Under moderate and high alkaline conditions, silicates can provide protection on the surfaces of aluminum, paint, and organic glass, while increasing alkalinity and increasing the dispersion of dirt. The oxidation of the vehicle surface can cause aluminum parts to lose their luster. Adding hydrofluoric acid, fluoride, and phosphoric acid can restore its luster and remove oxide and fouling films. But fluoride should be handled with caution.

Automotive glass cleaner

The car windshield cleaning agent should be able to prevent fog and rain droplets from adhering to the glass surface after application; The surface of the treated glass should be free of crystalline substances; And it can remove the oil film and prevent dust, oil fumes, and grease from adhering.

Other car cleaning agents

Engine carbon scale cleaner, car wash drying promoter, car water tank cleaner, car interior cleaner.

Metal cleaner

Industrial production processes generally require cleaning of metals, typically including: ① cleaning before metal electroplating; ② Preparation before painting; ③ Glazed or porcelain coated; ④ Metal processing, such as drawing pipelines, assembling, etc.; ⑤ Coatings on metal chemical surfaces, such as anodizing, electropolishing of aluminum, copper, and stainless steel; ⑥ Hot dip coating, galvanizing, etc.; ⑦ Cleaning before melting waste metal, etc. The dirt involved in the metal cleaning process includes fatty oil and mineral oil as lubricating oil, dyes, smoke and dust, as well as particulate dirt, metal oxides, corrosion inhibitors brought by other upstream processes, and compounds used in stamping, wire drawing, and other processes. In order to remove these stubborn dirt, a high washing activity system is required.

Household cleaner

The main cause of kitchen oil pollution is edible oil, especially unsaturated fats. These oils undergo oxidative polymerization reactions at high temperatures and are mixed with other oil stains. After being subjected to high temperatures, they evaporate and concentrate, forming viscous oil stains like paint, which further become oxidized and polymerized oils that can dry and form films. As the accumulation time of stains prolongs, unsaturated fats and oils will gradually become sticky, even dry, and harden in the air. These oxidized polymers are the key and difficult points for cleaning oil fume and dirt. Therefore, this type of cleaning agent should be a high strength and high activity washing system. Related products include kitchen cleaners, air conditioning cleaners, display screen cleaners, and so on.

Glass cleaner

Glass cleaning agents are the ones with the weakest substrate strength among hard surface cleaning agents. The most important thing in designing a formula is to reduce scratches on the glass surface and the interaction between the washing solution and the glass surface. The solvent (such as isopropanol) and anionic surfactant content in typical formulas are very low, and the weak alkalinity of ammonia is often used to remove fat and oil. Usually, glass cleaning agents cannot be used to clean kitchen utensils and other hard surfaces with heavy dirt.

Toilet cleaner

Toilet cleaner (toilet cleaner) is used to clean water closets, urinals, bathrooms, etc. It should have multiple functions such as sterilization, deodorization, protection of metal coatings, ceramic, plastic surfaces, and skin. Toilet cleaning agents mainly consist of decontaminating ingredients, deodorizing ingredients, corrosion inhibitors, and bactericidal ingredients.

Pipeline dredging agent

The blocking substances in hand basins, urinals, and bathtubs mainly include fat, protein, cellulose, and calcium soap. The calcium soap comes from the reaction of washing soap with heavy metal ions such as calcium and magnesium ions, as well as the product of alkaline decomposition of some fatty dirt. They mix with body dirt, hair dirt, etc., and attach to the pipe wall, causing sewer blockage. Related products include strong acids, strong alkalis, or oxidizing cleaning agents, which are generally not very safe. In addition, there are safer cleaning agents with sulfur compounds used as hair removal agents in cosmetics.

Notice

When using hygiene and cleaning products scientifically, you should pay attention to the following points:

(1) Choose appropriate cleaning products for different uses. For example, the cleaning agent selected in the kitchen has both washing and disinfecting functions and is an alkaline detergent.

(2) Choose products from regular manufacturers. Regular manufacturer product labels generally indicate: instructions for use, implementation standards, net content, factory address, shelf life, etc.

(3) Use strictly according to the requirements of the instruction manual to prevent accidents.

(4) Avoid accidental ingestion, reduce direct contact with skin, and reduce irritation to the respiratory tract.

(5) Some sanitary cleaning products have potential effects on human health and the natural environment, and large-scale abuse should be avoided.

Detergent industry

Industrial landscape after World War II

The industrial production of detergents around the world has gradually formed a relatively complete industrial system since World War II. Due to the continuous advancement of science and technology, the rapid development of the petroleum and chemical industries, and people's urgent need for detergents, the production of detergents around the world has developed rapidly. The world's total amount of detergents was 16.377 million tons in 1970 and 43 million tons in 1995 (including about 9 million tons of soap). Based on 5.8 billion people, the world's annual per capita consumption is about 7.9 kilograms, with the fastest growth from the 1970s to the 1980s. Since the 1990s, the market growth in developed countries has tended to be stable, but developing countries such as Asia-Pacific and Latin America are experiencing rapid growth. It is estimated that by the middle of the 21st century, the world's demand for detergents will rise to 100-120 million tons. In addition to partly due to population growth, there are still huge potential markets in some developing countries.

Chinese detergent market

Since China's reform and opening up, various high-quality, multi-effect and safe detergents, soaps, shampoos, bath liquids, etc. have been dazzling in the domestic commodity market. This fully demonstrates the prosperity of China's detergent industry and also reflects the development of detergents. The basic raw material - surfactant production is booming. Historically, the only detergent product used in China in the early days was scented soap. Industrial production of synthetic detergents began in the 1960s. In addition to maintaining the demand for scented soaps over the past 30 years, synthetic detergents have developed rapidly from scratch and achieved outstanding results. Among Chinese detergents, there is still a certain market demand for scented soap. Especially in the vast rural and remote areas, people are still accustomed to using scented soap for washing their faces and bathing. In China, which has a large population, considering all aspects of the conditions, scented soap and soap are by no means Products that are fleeting should still be developed and improved accordingly. In the past 10 years, China's synthetic detergents have been growing at an annual rate of 8%. Therefore, China's detergent products, especially various synthetic detergent products, are still promising in the foreseeable future.

With the acceleration of China's new industrialization process, cleaning has become an indispensable and important link in industrial production. The market demand for industrial cleaning supplies will maintain sustained high growth. At the same time, this has put forward new and higher requirements for the progress of cleaning technology. requirements. There are currently about 4,000 cleaning product manufacturers, distributors and agents in China, and the number of end users of cleaning products for industrial and commercial purposes has reached 5 million. The output value of the industrial cleaning detergent industry is approximately 20 billion yuan.

Developments of detergents

The development of detergents has undergone an evolution from natural detergents to traditional soap, and then to synthetic detergents and high-efficiency detergents. With the increasing awareness of environmental protection and technological progress, the research and development direction of detergents places more emphasis on environmental performance and the application of innovative technologies.

Ancient natural detergents

In the early stages of human history, people used natural substances for washing. For example, using substances such as water, sand, and ash to clean clothes and items.

The production and use of traditional soap

Soap is one of the earliest detergents, made by mixing animal and plant fats with alkali. People make soap and use it for washing, which is widely used in many cultures.

The rise of synthetic detergents

At the beginning of the 20th century, with the development of the chemical industry, synthetic detergents began to emerge. The most famous synthetic detergent is the introduction of synthetic laundry detergent (containing surfactants) as a substitute for soap.

The Development of Efficient Detergents

In the second half of the 20th century, research and development of detergents further improved cleaning efficiency and performance. The introduction of enzymes, chelating agents, whitening agents and other components makes the detergent more powerful in cleaning.

Environmentally friendly detergents

With the increasing awareness of environmental protection, people have begun to pursue more environmentally friendly and sustainable detergents. These detergents use more environmentally friendly ingredients, such as plant extracts, biological enzymes, etc., to reduce the negative impact on the environment.

The application of innovative technologies

With the advancement of technology, the detergent industry is constantly applying new technologies. For example, cold water detergents can effectively clean clothes at lower temperatures. A specialized detergent for specific materials and stains to provide more precise cleaning effects. Highly concentrated detergents, due to its excellent water saving properties, have also received much attention.

Famous brands of detergents

Sunlight: Sunlight is a globally renowned detergent brand that offers a variety of laundry, dishwashing, and cleaning products.

Clorox: Bleach is a product used to remove stubborn stains and bleach from clothing. Clorox is an American brand known for its efficient bleaching ability.

Lysol: Lysol is an American brand that primarily produces disinfectants and cleaning products. Their products are known for their bactericidal effect and cleaning ability.

Tide: Tide is a well-known detergent brand produced and sold by Procter&Gamble. It is popular worldwide and offers various types of detergent products.

Walch: Walch is a brand that focuses on clothing bleaching and cleaning, with products including disinfectants, hand sanitizers, wipes, laundry detergent, and more.

Dove: Dove is a well-known detergent brand launched by Unilever. It provides a variety of detergent products, including laundry detergent, laundry soap, and laundry detergent.

Amway: Amway is a detergent brand under Amway, a multinational direct sales company in the United States. It provides various types of detergent products, such as laundry detergent, laundry detergent, and dishwashing detergent.

Ecover: Ecover is an environmentally friendly detergent brand that provides biodegradable detergents and cleaning products. It is committed to reducing the impact on the environment and promoting a sustainable lifestyle.

Kao: Kao is a well-known Japanese daily necessities brand, with products including skin care products, cosmetics, hair care products, household cleaning products, and more.

Dettol: Dettol is a daily consumer goods brand that focuses on disinfection and sterilization, providing various types of detergents and disinfection products, such as laundry detergent, hand sanitizer, and disinfectant.

Chinese detergent manufacturers

Procter&Gamble: Procter&Gamble is one of the world's leading consumer goods companies, with multiple detergent production bases in China, producing detergent products including Tide, Ariel, Rejoice, and other brands.

Unilever China: Unilever is a globally renowned consumer goods company that also produces detergent products in China. Its production base in China produces detergent products from brands such as OMO, CLEAR, and Lux.

Yunnan Baiyao Group: Yunnan Baiyao Group is a well-known pharmaceutical and consumer goods company in China, mainly engaged in pharmaceutical business, but also involved in other fields. Jieliya Detergent Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of the group, produces and sells detergent products.

Liby: Liby is one of the leading detergent brands in China, produced by Guangzhou Liby Daily Chemical Co., Ltd. Libai provides a variety of detergent products, including laundry detergent, laundry detergent, and detergent, and enjoys a high reputation for its excellent cleaning ability and quality.

Diao Pai: Diao Pai is a famous detergent brand in China, produced by Guangzhou Diao Pai Washing Products Co., Ltd. This brand offers a variety of detergent products, such as laundry detergent, laundry detergent, and dishwashing detergent, emphasizing the efficient cleaning and environmental characteristics of the products.

Jinfang: Jinfang is one of the well-known brands in the Chinese detergent market, produced by Jiangsu Jinfang Washing Products Co., Ltd. The company focuses on detergent products such as laundry detergent, laundry detergent, and detergent, and emphasizes product quality and innovation.

Aogrand Group: Jiangsu Aogrand Group is a daily chemical enterprise group located in Nanjing, China. The company specializes in the research and development and production of detergent products. The company has multiple detergent brands such as CLEACE, JOBY, BUBUBAER, and MYSTIC.

Pang Ning: Pang Ning is a Chinese detergent production enterprise that produces various types of detergent products, such as laundry detergent, laundry detergent, and detergent. They focus on product quality and sustainable development.

Yuanzi: Yuanzi is a Chinese detergent brand produced by Yuanzi Washing Products Co., Ltd. They provide a variety of detergent products, including laundry detergent, laundry detergent, dishwashing detergent, etc., and pay attention to the cleaning effect and environmental characteristics of the products.

Est é e Lauder: Est é e Lauder is a globally renowned beauty brand and also has detergent products in China. They provide a personal care product line, including shampoo, conditioner, etc., to meet the beauty needs of consumers.

Dabao: Dabao is a well-known personal care brand in China, and it also has a detergent product line under its umbrella. Dabao Detergent is produced by Guangzhou Dabao Daily Chemical Co., Ltd., including laundry detergent, laundry detergent, and dishwashing detergent, emphasizing the gentleness and natural ingredients of the product.