Linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid (LABSA) is commercially prepared from LAB. Sulfonic acid is a sulfur compound with the general formula where R is an alkyl or aryl group and the hydroxyl group is sulfonyl.
Chemical introduction
Linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid (LABSA) is commercially prepared from LAB. Sulfonic acid is a sulfur compound with the general formula where R is an alkyl or aryl group and the hydroxyl group is sulfonyl. In fact, sulfonic acid can be considered sulfuric acid, a hydroxyl group has been replaced by an organic part.
Physical and chemical characteristics
This chemical is oily and colorless in nature. And in the presence of sulfur and the conditions of combustion and reaction with So3 in the reactor, it turns into sulfonic acid. Sulphonic acid salts or esters are called sulfonates. Sulfonic acids tend to turn into crystalline solids due to their high polarizability. These compounds are mostly colorless and non-oxidizing. Due to their high acidity, sulfonic acids are often dissolved in water and show properties similar to those of the detergents.
Practical introduction
LAS is the most widely used surfactant in the world, which has various salts. Linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid is one of the most widely used anionic surfactants due to its low price, high efficiency, and biocompatibility due to its linear chain. This anionic surfactant has hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups. These materials are non-volatile compounds that are prepared by the sulfonation process. These compounds consist of a mixture of carbon chains with a length of 10 to 14 carbons, to which a phenyl group is attached with a sulfone group in the para position. The properties of alkyl benzene sulfonates depend on the length of the alkane chain, which gives them different functional capabilities. Surfactants are used in industry to increase the contact between polar and non-polar phases, for example oil and water or water and minerals.
Sulfonic acid is used in the formula of many powder and liquid detergents as a cleaner and a stain remover. Sulfonic acid is a water-soluble, non-volatile and moisture-absorbing substance that is also used as an emulsifier, additive, lubricant, and corrosion and rust prevention. Although both aryl and alkyl sulfonic acids are known, most of their applications are related to their aromatic derivatives.
Usages
Linear alkyl benzene sulfonate mainly for preparing household detergents including:
- Detergents and surfactants are molecules that combine very non-polar and very polar groups. Since the middle of the 20th century, in advanced societies, the use of sulfonic acid has overtaken soap. For example, about 2 billion kilograms of alkyl benzene sulfonates for various industrial purposes are produced annually. Nowadays, sulfonic acid is used in the detergent industry as a surfactant in the production of many powder and liquid detergents, which is one of the cheapest surfactants used in the detergent industry. Ligninsulfonates, produced by lignin sulfonization, are components of drilling fluids and additives in certain types of concrete.
- Dyes Many anthroquinone dyes are prepared by sulfonization process. Sulfonic acid tends to connect to proteins and carbohydrates, that’s why most washable colors are based on sulfonic acid or have sulfonyl active group in their composition. Sulfonic peroxide acid is used to prepare food colors.
- Sulphonic acid acid catalysts are also used as catalysts. The simplest examples are methane sulfonic acid and toluene sulfonic acid, which are regularly used in organic chemistry as lipophilic acids (dissolved in organic solvents). Dowex resin is derived from sulfonic acid. Polystyrene is used as a catalyst for ion exchange (water softening). (It is used.
- Sulfonic acid is used in the pharmaceutical industry for the production of sulfa drugs, which are a group of antibacterials.
- Methane sulfonic acid is used as an electrolyte in zinc current batteries and acid batteries.