Surfactant - Wikipedia
Surfactants are chemical compounds that decrease the surface tension or interfacial tension between two liquids, a liquid and a gas, or a liquid and a solid. The word "surfactant" is a blend of surface-active agent, [1] coined in 1950 . [2]
Surfactant | Definition, Properties, Examples, & Facts | Britannica
Nov 8, 2024 · Surfactant, substance such as a detergent that, when added to a liquid, reduces its surface tension, thereby increasing its spreading and wetting properties. In the dyeing of textiles, surfactants help the dye penetrate the fabric evenly.
Surfactant Definition and Examples - Science Notes and Projects
Jan 1, 2022 · A surfactant is a compound that reduces surface tension between two phases, such as two liquids, a liquid and gas, or even a liquid and solid. For example, adding detergent reduces surface tension in oily water, making it easier to remove soiling from fabrics or cookware.
Surfactant - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics
Surfactants are substances that create self-assembled molecular clusters called micelles in a solution (water or oil phase) and adsorb to the interface between a solution and a different phase (gases/solids).
Surfactant Definition and Examples - ThoughtCo
Mar 31, 2019 · Surfactant is the word that combines the terms "surface active agent". Surfactants or tensides are chemical species that act as wetting agents to lower the surface tension of a liquid and allow for increased spreadability.
What are surfactants and how do they work? - Biolin Scientific
Surfactants are the most versatile products of the chemical industry. They are utilized in every industrial area ranging from household detergents to drilling muds and food items to pharmaceuticals. The term surfactant comes from the word surface active agent.
Surfactants: Mechanism of action, Types, Applications - Science Info
Feb 15, 2024 · Surfactants are surface active agents, which means “active on the surface.” Surfactant reduces surface and interfacial tension by adsorbing to surfaces and interfaces. “interface” refers to the link between two immiscible phases, while “surface” refers to a …
What Are Surfactants | School of Chemistry - University of Bristol
Surfactants, a contraction of the term surface-active agents, are amphiphilic (dual-natured) molecules because they possess both hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups. The general structure of a surfactant molecule is shown in the figure right.
1 What are surfactants? - Oxford Academic
Surface active agents (surfactants) are molecules or ions with a dual nature. One or more moieties in a surfactant are ‘water-hating’ (hydrophobic) ‘tail’ groups and one or more are ‘water-liking’ (hydrophilic) ‘head’ groups.
What are surfactants? A Formulators Guide - Chemists Corner
Mar 20, 2017 · Surfactants are materials that are made up of both polar and nonpolar parts. That means a part of the molecule will be compatible with polar molecules while another part of the molecule will be compatible with non-polar molecules.