Secondary alcohol ethersulfate: structure, synthesis and high alkalinity applications

Abstract: Alkali aids cleaning in a variety of occasions including textile scouring and industrial cleaning. In these formulations, surfactants are also present to assist wetting of surfaces, emulsifying dirt and oil, and keep them suspended in working liquid. Conventional high-alkali-stable aninoic surfactants include short hydrophobic (C6-8) fatty alcohol sulfates and ethersulfates. While they can be stable in aqueous alkali solutions as high as 250-350g/L NaOH, their short hydrophobes greatly reduce detergency and increase CMC, as compared to conventional mid-range (C12-14) alcohol-based counterparts. 
This research reveals a novel structure - C12-14 secondary alcohol ethersulfate, with stability in alkali solutions as high as 290g/L NaOH, while keeping its excellent wetting and emulsifying performance. Structure and synthesis process will be discussed in depth and performance evaluations will be presented to demonstrate its well-balanced functionalities in I&I applications.