Low-foaming surfactants

Description

Surfactants are organic molecules that modify the surface forces, i.e., the attraction between molecules of a liquid on its surface. They are used in detergents as they help to dissolve or emulsify water-insoluble substances. Surfactants have emulsifying, wetting, detergent and foaming properties.
The classification of surfactants is based on the charge they possess when dissociated, and they are differentiated into anionic, cationic, amphoteric and non-ionic.
However, in some applications, foaming is not desirable, whether because it reduces the effectiveness of the detergent or because it hinders the use of the product. In cleaning processes where there is strong mechanical energy, such as in automatic dishwashers, CIP (Clean-in-place) additives or industrial detergents (I&I) for surface washing, foaming impedes the proper functioning of the equipment. In other applications, such as industrial laundry, the detergents that form unstable and rapidly collapsing foams are appreciated. In these cases, foam fills tanks, hinders the normal operation of sprayers or prevents rinsing of detergents, and low-foaming surfactants are then the solution.