Preparation
Sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate is prepared by sulfonating dodecylbenzene with concentrated sulfuric acid to produce dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid[4], which is then neutralized with an alkaline substance (such as sodium hydroxide). Dodecylbenzene is a hydrocarbon derived from petroleum. After adding the alkali, an inorganic salt with high solubility in water, such as sodium chloride, can be added to perform a salting-out step to precipitate sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate.
In industry, dodecylbenzene can be sulfonated with fuming sulfuric acid or sulfur trioxide, and then the above neutralization step with sodium hydroxide is repeated to produce sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate.
Because sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate is derived from dodecylbenzene (an organic compound derived from petroleum), it is a non-soap detergent.
What is the purpose
Cleaning
Sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate is a surfactant with cleaning and foaming functions. It has a hydrophobic tail and a hydrophilic head, which can reduce the surface tension of water, make the liquid into an emulsion, and evenly distribute the water phase and oil phase substances. However, because it is an anionic surfactant, it cannot be mixed with cationic surfactants to avoid losing its effectiveness due to the formation of sediment.
Industry
This product has a simple production process and low cost, so it is widely used in industry. In industry, sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate can be used as a detergent, emulsifier, etc. in cleaning, pesticide manufacturing, textiles, etc., and has a wide range of uses.
