SURFACTANT

S IN
SOLUTION

Classification of
Surfactants

Anionic
Cationic
Zwitterionic
Nonionic

Sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS)

O
S - +
O Na
O
+
N
Br-

Cetylpyridinium bromide
O

O
O

OCH2CH2N(CH3)3+
P OO

Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (lecithin)

Polyoxyethylene(4) lauryl ether (Brij 30)

OH

Surfactant Aggregates
Unimers

Normal micelles

cylindrical

spherical

Inverted hexagonal phase

Reverse micelles

Bilayer lamella
4 nm

Critical Micelle Concentration

CMC

14

12
10
8
6

CMC

4
2
0
0

1
Surfactant concentration

Below CMC only

unimers are present
Above CMC there are
micelles in equilibrium
with unimers

Solution Properties
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0

14

12

Concentration

unimers

10
8
6
4
2
0

CMC
micelles

Surfactant concentration1

14
Isc12
10
8
6
4
2
0

Osmotic pressure

CMC

Surfactant concentration1

Light scattering

CMC

Surfactant concentration1

Solubilization
Spontaneous transfer of a compound insoluble in
the bulk solvent into solution due to incorporation
into the surfactant micelles

Normal micelles
non-polar compound

amphiphilic compound

Reverse micelles
polar compound

Solubility Effects
Solubility of a poorly soluble compound increases
as a result of solubilization in the micelles
Solubility

14
12
10
8
6

CMC

4
2
0
0

1
Surfactant concentration

An example of an HLB value

calculation
BRIJ 98 INCI name : oleth-20 is a 20 mole
ethoxylate of oleyl alcohol
calculate the molecular weight of the 20
moles of ethylene oxide ( one mole ETO
=44 );
20 x 44 = 880

add this number to the molecular weight of

the oleyl alcohol;
880+ 270 = 1150 ( the mol. wt of BRIJ 98 )

What percentage of 1150 is 880 ?

880/1150 = 76.5%

76.5% divided by 5 = 15.3

15.3 is the HLB value of BRIJ 98

Important to remember !

HLB and Use of Surfactants

Amphiphilic surfactants are characterized by the
hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB): a relative
ratio of polar and non-polar groups in the surfactant

HLB ca. 1 to 3.5: Antifoams

HLB ca. 3.5 to 8: Water-in-Oil Emulsifiers
HLB ca. 7 to 9: Wetting and spreading agents
HLB ca. 8 to 16: Oil-in-Water Emulsifiers
HLB ca. 13 to 16: Detergents
HLB ca. 15 to 40: Solubilizers

Required HLB
HLB needed for emulsification of the oil phase. If there
are several oil ingredients the required HLB is
calculated as a sum of their respective required HLB
multiplied by the fraction of each.

Calculate the required HLB for the oil phase of the following o/w
emulsion: cetyl alcohol 15 g., white wax 1g. Lanolin 2 g,
emulsifier (q.s.), glycerin 5 g. water 100 g.

Cetyl alcohol
White wax
Lanolin
Total required HLB

Required HLB
(from reference)
15
x
12
x
10
x

Fraction
15/18
1/18
2/18

12.5
0.7
1.1
14.3

HLB of Surfactant Blend

Surfactant blends are commonly used to obtain
desired emulsifying properties.

Span 60 (HLB = 4.7)

Tween 60 (HLB = 14.9)
Span 80 (HLB = 4.3)
Tween 80 (HLB = 15.0)

What is the HLB of the mixture of 40 % Span 60 (HLB =

4.7) and 60 % Tween 60 (HLB = 14.9)?

Sorbitan monostearate is an ester of

sorbitol and stearic acid (synthetic wax)

Polyoxyethylenesorbitan monooleate;
Sorbitan monooleate ethoxylate

HLB of mixture: 4.7 x 0.4 + 14.9 x 0.6 = 10.8

In what proportion should Span 80 (HLB = 4.3) and Tween

80 (HLB = 15.0) be mixed to obtain required HLB of 12.0?

4.3.(1-x) + 15.x = 12 x = 0.72

72 % Tween 80 and 28 % Span 80

Glycerol Monostearate
HLB value of 3.6~4.2
dissolves in hot grease, paraffine, ethanol, chloroform, acetone
and aether, the material is widely used when producing of chocolate,
margarine, ice cream, skin care balsam, cold cream, hair oil and drug
ointment, also lubricant for plastic processing

Shampoo

Ingredients

Isobutane
Cyclomethicone
Aluminum Chlorohydrate
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
Lichen extract
Fragrance
Quaternium-18
Silica
Dimethiconol

cyclomethicone

Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate

Facial Cleanser
Aqua/Water
Palmitic acid
Myristic acid
Lauric acid
Stearic acid
Potassium hydroxide
PEG-7 Glyceryl cocoate
PEG-150 Distearate
Glycerin
Sodium laureth sulfosuccinate
Limonene
Linalool
Zinc PCA
Propylparaben
Propylene glycol
Disodium EDTA
NaCl

Propylene glycol

propyl ester of p-hydroxybenzoic acid = propylparaben

zinc salt of 2-Pyrrolidone-5-Carboxylic Acid

PEG-7 Glyceryl cocoate

Polyoxyethylene glycol glyceryl cocoate (monococoate).

PEG-150 Distearate
Polyethylene glycol diester of stearic acid.

Sodium laureth sulfosuccinate

Cream