Wholesale Surfactant Suppliers

Anionic surfactants (negatively charged, largest volume class): SLES (sodium laureth sulfate, 28% and 70% active) for personal care shampoos and body washes; LABSA (linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid) for powder and liquid detergents; AOS (alpha olefin sulfonate) for household and industrial cleaners. Cationic surfactants (positively charged): DTDMAC, DEEDMAC for fabric softeners; benzalkonium chloride (BAC) for disinfectants; dicocodimethyl ammonium chloride for biocides. Nonionic surfactants (no charge, pH-tolerant): fatty alcohol ethoxylates (AEO-7, AEO-9) for detergents and emulsifiers; APG (alkyl polyglucoside) for mild, natural-origin personal care; polysorbates (Tween 20/40/60/80) for pharmaceutical and food emulsification. Amphoteric (charge depends on pH): cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB) for mild, high-foam personal care; amine oxide for viscosity building.

All surfactants placed on the EU market above 1 tonne/year must be REACH-registered. Detergent Regulation (EC) 648/2004 requires that surfactants in consumer detergents pass the ultimate aerobic biodegradability test (OECD 301B, 60% mineralisation in 28 days). Anionic and nonionic surfactants used in detergents must achieve >60% biodegradation; rinse-off products require >60% primary biodegradability (OECD 301B); leave-on products face stricter assessment. For ecological risk: PNEC (Predicted No-Effect Concentration) and bioaccumulation (log Kow) must be assessed. SVHC concerns: nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPE) are restricted in consumer products (EU Directive 76/769/EC as updated); buyers should use AEO (alcohol ethoxylates) as NPE-free alternatives.

HLB (Hydrophilic-Lipophilic Balance) is a key parameter for selecting emulsifiers. HLB scale 0–20: HLB 1–3: antifoaming agents; HLB 4–6: W/O emulsifiers (water-in-oil, e.g. Span 80, HLB 4.3); HLB 7–9: wetting agents; HLB 8–18: O/W emulsifiers (oil-in-water, e.g. Tween 80, HLB 15); HLB 13–15: detergents; HLB 15–18: solubilisers. Blending two surfactants of different HLB values produces an intermediate HLB (weighted average). APGs have HLB 11–14 (excellent O/W emulsifiers and foam boosters). For CAPB: HLB ~15, pH range 3–12. Always run jar-test emulsion stability before scale-up.