In terms of cleaning performance, surfactants function through their unique..."Parental structure" It plays a role. During the washing process, its lipophilic tail inserts into the grease, while the hydrophilic head remains in the water. Through mechanical force (such as hand scrubbing or agitation in a washing machine), large grease stains are emulsified and dispersed into fine particles, which are eventually washed away by the water flow. Data show that a typical surfactant molecule, upon reaching its critical micelle concentration (CMC) At that moment, it can form in the water.50-150The aggregate of these molecules efficiently captures oil stains.

Foam is another intuitive indicator of detergent performance. The amount and stability of foam are closely related to the type of surfactant used. For instance, traditional fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ethers (AEO-9) Although it has strong cleaning power, its high foam stability actually increases water usage and time costs in commercial laundry settings that require quick rinsing. Therefore, low-foaming surfactants (such asTERGITOL™ LAThe development of series (products) has become a trend, featuring rapid bubble-breaking performance that helps enhance rinsing efficiency, making them particularly suitable for industrial cleaning and water-saving household appliances.

The stability of the product also relies on surfactants. For instance, in dry cleaning detergents, stabilizers (such as trioxane and benzotriazole) are added to prevent the solvent from decomposing in the presence of moisture, which could otherwise corrode equipment and affect cleaning performance. In liquid detergents, the gel range and pour point of surfactants directly influence the product's fluidity and ease of use at low temperatures. New plant-based surfactants (such asTERGITOL™ LAIt has been reported to have a lower pour point and no gelation range, which greatly facilitates storage and use in cold regions.