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Enhanced triolein removal using microemulsions formulated with mixed surfactants

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Journal of Surfactants and Detergents

Abstract

In previous work, a microemulsion-based formulation approach yielded excellent laundry detergency with hydrophobic oily soils hexadecane and motor oil. In this work, the same approach is used in detergency of triolein, which is a model triglyceride, some of the most difficult oils to be removed from fabric. The linker concept was applied in formulation of the microemulsion system. Three different surfactants were used: (i) dihexyl sulfosuccinate, an ionic surfactant with a moderate hydrophile-lipophile balance (HLB); (ii) secondary alcohol ethoxylate, a lipophilic nonionic surfactant with a very low HLB; and (iii) alkyl diphenyl oxide disulfonate (ADPODS), a hydrophilic anionic surfactant with a very high HLB. The phase behavior and interfacial tension (IFT) of the surfactant systems were determined with different concentrations of ADPODS. The results indicate that as the HLB of the system increases, a higher salinity is required to shift the phase transition from Winsor Type I to Type III to Type II. The three formulations at different salinities were used in detergency experiments to remove triolein from polyester/cotton sample fabric. The results showed that there were two peaks of maximum detergency in the range of salinity from 0.1% to 10% NaCl. The higher the hydrophilicity of the system, the higher the salinity required for maximum detergency. The results of the dynamic IFT and the detergency performance from two rinsing methods lead to the hypothesis that one of these maxima in detergency results from a spreading or wetting effect. The other maximum in detergency is believed to be related to ultralow IFT associated with oil/water middle-phase microemulsion formation. Triolein removal exceeding 80% was attained, validating the microemulsion approach to detergency.

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Abbreviations

ADPODS:

alkyl diphenyl oxide disulfonate

AMA:

Aerosol-MA 80 or dihexyl sulfosuccinate

CP:

commercial (liquid detergent) product

EDTA:

ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid

HLB:

hydrophile-lipophile balance

IFT:

interfacial tension

IFT:

optimum interfacial tension

S* :

optimum salinity

SAE:

secondary alcohol ethoxylate

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Research Institute, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand

    C. Tongcumpou

  2. National Research Center for Environmental and Hazardous Management, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand

    C. Tongcumpou

  3. Institute for Applied Surfactant Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma

    E. J. Acosta, J. F. Scamehorn & D. A. Sabatini

  4. The Petroleum and Petrochemical College, Chulalongkorn University, Phayathai Rd., Pathumwan, 10330, Bangkok, Thailand

    N. Yanumet & S. Chavadej

Authors
  1. C. Tongcumpou
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  2. E. J. Acosta
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  3. J. F. Scamehorn
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  4. D. A. Sabatini
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  5. N. Yanumet
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  6. S. Chavadej
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to S. Chavadej.

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Tongcumpou, C., Acosta, E.J., Scamehorn, J.F. et al. Enhanced triolein removal using microemulsions formulated with mixed surfactants. J Surfact Deterg 9, 181–189 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11743-006-0388-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11743-006-0388-5

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