OBJECTIVES

1. To be able to prepare detergent

2. To understand the process of making powdered detergent
3. To identify the various roles of the raw materials in making powdered
detergent
4. To design a procedure in evaluating the performance of the powdered
detergent produces versus leading brands in the market
INTRODUCTION
Detergents are defined as any group of synthetic, liquid, organic, or
water-soluble cleaning agents having wetting-agent and emulsifying-agent
properties. Unlike soap, detergents are not prepared from fats and oils and are
activated by hard water. These are usually composed of sulfonate groups.
Usually commercial products of these compose of various desirable products
that enables maximum cleaning power and biodegradability.
From a scientific view, detergents cover both soaps and synthetic
detergents. But they differ in terms of their components and behavior. As
mentioned earlier, they differ in their action in hard water. Soaps form insoluble
compounds with the calcium and magnesium ions present in hard water while
detergents form soluble products.
Detergents, like soaps, have hydrophilic (water-loving) and hydrophobic
(water-hating, soil-loving) regions on opposite ends of the molecules. These
enable the detergents to have cleaning power by means of soil removal. One
end of the molecule will be attracted to water while the other end will be
attracted to soils, oil, and grease.
Detergents are mainly composed of the following: surfactants, builders,
and additives. Surfactants, shortened term for surface active ingredients, are
used in affecting the surface tension when dissolved in water or other water
solutions in order for the soil-loving ends of the some of these molecules
surround the dirt followed by water-loving molecules pulling the soil away from
the fabric. They are usually the ones responsible for primary cleaning and
sudsing of the washing action for both soaps and synthetic detergents.
Common examples of these are coconut fatty alcohol sulfate (CFAS) and linear
alkyl-benzyl sulfonic acid (LABS).
Builders enable boosting the cleaning power of detergents. They isolate
water-hardening calcium and magnesium ions, prevent the redeposition of soils
from the water or the fabric. Some common builders are polyphosphates such
as sodium tripolyphosphate and tetrasodium pyrophosphate.
Another important component in detergents are additives. Its functions
vary depending on the function of the detergent to be made. Benzotriazole is
used as a tarnish inhibitor, sodium silicate is utilized as a corrosion inhibitor,

carboxymethyl cellulose is used as an antiredeposition agent, and many more

functions available such as fabric brighteners and antimicrobial agents.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The experiment was performed using the following apparatuses: 400,
250, and 100 ml beakers, spatula, stirring rod, 100-ml graduated cylinders, and
electronic balance. Then, the following chemicals were utilized in this
experiment: Sodium carbonate, sodium sulfate, coconut fatty alcohol sulfonate
(CFAS), linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LABS), and sodium tripolyphosphate
(STPP).
The experiment composed of two parts. The first part is the making of
the detergents. Then, it is followed by the evaluation of the detergents made.
For the first part, the required amounts of sodium carbonate, sodium sulfate,
LABS, CFAS, and STPP were weighed and placed in separate beakers enough for
the three formulations to be made. These ingredients were placed in 250-ml
beakers one-by-one starting with sodium carbonate then they were stirred until
a homogeneous mixture was obtained.
The second part has two tests: foam and stain removal test. For the
foam test, approximately 1 gram of each detergent formulation was dissolved
in 20-ml of water in 100-ml graduated cylinders. These were shaken for a
certain amount of time then the volume of foam produced was measured.
For the stain removal test, 2.5 grams of each detergent were weighed in
50-mL beakers. These were dissolved using 20 mL of water. Five cloth fabrics
were stained with soy sauce then they were allowed to dry before placing them
in separate 400-ml beakers. The detergent solutions were transferred to the
beakers containing the stained cloth. The soaked stained clothes were set aside
for about 10 minutes with periodic checking and were observed for the degree
of stain removal and whiteness of fabric.
DATA AND RESULTS
Table 1. Detergent Powder Formulations Descriptions and Weights
Material
CFAS

PD1 (g)
16.0

PD2 (g)
11.2

PD3 (g)
11.2

LABS

4.8

4.8

STPP

Description
White, fine
powdered
solid
Dark red,
viscous
liquid
White, fine
powdered

Sodium
sulfate

41.95

41.95

39.35

Sodium
carbonate

41.95

41.95

39.35

solid
White, fine
powdered
solid
White, fine
powdered
solid

Table 2. Foam Test

Formulatio
ns
PD1
PD2
PD3

Volume of
Foam
45 mL
40 mL
35 mL

Table 3. Stain Removal Test and Other Product Attributes

Formulati
ons

PD1
PD2
PD3
Ariel
Breeze

Degre
e of
stain
remov
al
5
4
3
2
1

Whiten
ess of
the
fabric
1
1
1
1
1

Other Test Results

Rate of
Cleanliness
stain
of soln after
removal
soaking
5
4
3
2
1

3
4
5
2
1

Legend: 1 Best 5 - Worst

Observations (while making the detergent):
PD1:
- All the chemicals used were white in color and the resulting mixture of
these was a white, fine powder.
PD2 & PD3:
- As LABS was added, the resulting mixture did not become as white and
fine as PD1, with PD2 being finer than PD3.
- PD2 was coarser than PD3.

Observations (Foam test):

- The level of water decreases as the formation of bubbles were
observed.
- As the number of shakes increases, the volume of the foam also
increases depending on how vigorous the shakes are.
Observations (Stain removal test):
- As PD1 was dissolved in water it became a sticky, viscous solution.
- Some of the particles in the powdered form of Ariel and Breeze did not
dissolved in water. Some of them even adhere to the cloth.
DISCUSSION OF RESULTS
Table 1 shows the formulations of the three detergents made from a 100g basis of detergent. The first formulation, PD1, comprises of only CFAS, sodium
carbonate, and sodium sulfate. The second formulation, PD2, comprises of the
three components PD1 has but with the addition of LABS. Then, PD3 has the
addition of STPP.
Sodium carbonate prevents calcium and magnesium ions from bonding
with the detergent used as they are removed from surfaces such as fabrics.
CFAS serves as a surfactant for the detergents. LABS also serves as a
surfactant while STPP serves as a builder. STPP increases the alkalinity of the
wash solution, which helps the activity of the surfactants and they also function
such that it combines with calcium and magnesium ions, making the water
soften. Linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LABS) serves as the primary cleaning
agent that functions as what surfactants do. LABS, from the description, is a
very viscous liquid thats why it causes the components used to stick together
forming larger particles for PD2 and PD3, making it more difficult to obtain a
homogeneous mixture by means of mixing them. PD1 doesnt have LABS in its
components such that it resulted into a detergent of finer grains and that
mixing the components and obtaining a homogeneous mixture made it easier.
As mentioned, two detergent tests were performed: foam and stain
removal test. The first was the foam test. Looking at Table 2, we can observe
that PD1 has the highest volume of foam followed by PD2 and PD3. Although
PD1 has the highest as mentioned, the foams are not much compact compared
to PD2 and PD3. PD2 has a lower foam volume but it is less scattered
compared to PD1 and PD3 has the lowest foam volume but the most compact
among the formulations. This has possibly something to with the components
introduced.
Then the second and last performed was the stain removal test. From
Table 3, it is to be observed that the commercial detergents has the highest

performance especially when it comes to degree and rate of stain removal. This
is because these compromise with additional additives and builders that
increases the efficiency of the surfactants, maximizing the cleaning power of
detergents especially when it comes to fabrics. Other components that
compromise the commercial detergents are essential oils that enables them to
have odor, dyes that produces color like in the Ariel detergents where a blue
stain was observed after removing the stain, and the small solid particles that
make the said detergents are probably due to many more additives in order to
bring out desirable effects when they are used.
Then in terms of the detergent formulations made during the
experiment, the third formulation is the most effective in terms of stain
removal. This can be possibly due to the addition of surfactants and builders
such as LABS and STPP that adds up the overall cleaning efficiency of it.
However, from the experiment, this can also be subjected to errors because
when a portion of PD1 was dissolved in water, it resulted into a viscous liquid
as shown in the observations part of this. As the stained cloth was soaked in
there, the stain was not fully removed probably due to lack of water in order for
the surfactant to lower the surface tension that enables soil/dirt removal. The
results may be subjected to changes if a different method was used other than
just soaking the stained clothes in the detergent solution.
CONCLUSION
This experiment is mainly about how detergents are prepared; how
detergents are made and understand the processes, identify the various roles
of the raw materials necessary in making powdered detergents, and design a
procedure in evaluating the performance of the powdered detergent produces
versus leading brands in the market. These objectives were achieved by means
of making three detergents of differing formulations and compare leading
commercial detergents such as Ariel and Breeze in evaluating the performance
of the detergents made.
Detergents differ from soaps in terms of the components it contain and
their behavior towards hard water. Soaps are mostly made up of fats and oils
while detergents compose of synthetic materials and mainly has sulfonate
groups present. Both cleaning materials have hydrophilic (water-loving) and
hydrophobic (water-hating) regions that enables them to remove soils from
different surfaces such as fabrics. Detergents have three main parts:
surfactants, builders, and additives. Surfactants, in short for surface active
ingredients, are mainly responsible for the cleaning capability of detergents.
They are used in affecting the surface tension when dissolved in water or other
water solutions in order for the soil-loving ends of the some of these molecules
surround the dirt followed by water-loving molecules pulling the soil away from
the fabric. Builders readily boost detergent power. They remove calcium and
magnesium ions present in hard water and soils. Finally, additives are used in

improving the detergent based on its functions. Different additives can be used
depending on the main usage of the detergent.
REFERENCES
Austin, G.T. (1984). Shreves Chemical Process Industries. 5th edition. McGraw Hill, 1984.
detergent. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved February 12,
2014,
from
Dictionary.com
website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/detergent.

Experiment #4:
Detergent Making

Taeda, John Paul D.

CHM144/B31
Group No. 6