Properties of aqueous solutions of surfactants, Cn−1H2n−1OCH2COONa (n−1=12–18), which may be nontoxic, non-allergic and bio-degradable, have been studied. The Krafft points in aqueous solutions of these surfactants are close (+8.5–−1.5 °C) to those of the corresponding fatty acid soaps RnCOONa. The critical micelle concentrations are also close to those of corresponding fatty acid soaps in spite of the introduction of an oxygen atom in the hydrocarbon chain. A study of the effect of water hardness on the solubility revealed that this type of surfactant is, unlike soap, soluble in town water (hardness 4°) in the presence of equal weight of tripolyphosphate.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.