Linear alkylbenzene: Overview
Why this molecule sits in most laundry powders
What this tab covers What the chemical is, how big its market is, what it is used for (with shares, volumes, why it wins and what could replace it), and its chain from raw material to end user. Ends with three things to remember.Linear alkylbenzene (LAB) is made by attaching a straight C10-C13 hydrocarbon chain, extracted from kerosene, to benzene. Almost all of it is sulphonated into linear alkylbenzene sulphonate (LAS), the cleaning agent in most laundry powders, bars and liquids. World demand was about 4.4 Mt in 2024. India is the fastest-growing market: demand was about 0.75 Mt in 2020 and was expected to pass 1 Mt by 2025, with imports covering more than 40%. LAB ties detergent prices to oil, kerosene and benzene, and competes with plant-based surfactants.
Volume about 4.4 Mt a year (2024) Market value about $6-7 billion (2024, indicative: 4.4 Mt x $1,400-1,600/t) Growth about 3-4% a year; about 4.1% a year to 2035 (to about 6.6 Mt) Tamilnadu Petroproducts Directors' Report FY2024-25 (4.41 Mt in 2024; 6.6 Mt by 2035); Chemical Week Jan 2023 citing S&P Global (3.52 Mt in 2020, about 3% a year 2021-2025); value indicativeKey uses
| Use | Share | Annual volume | Why this commodity | Alternatives |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAS for household laundry detergents (powders, bars, liquids) | n/a | most of about 4.3 Mt LAS-bound LABbasis | LAS cleans well in hard and cold water, foams, and is the cheapest high-performance anionic surfactant. In India and South-East Asia, detergent powders and bars that are 15-30% LAS dominate (indicative). It biodegrades readily in aerobic treatment. Chemical Week Jan 2023 (India LAS net exports); indicative | Alcohol ethoxy sulphates (AES) and other fatty-alcohol surfactants Methyl ester sulphonates (MES) from palm oil Soap |
| LAS for dishwashing and household cleaners | n/a | not publishedbasis | Hand dishwashing liquids and bars use LAS as the main surfactant for grease removal. indicative | AES Alkyl polyglucosides |
| LAS for industrial and institutional cleaning and agrochemical emulsifiers | n/a | not publishedbasis | Calcium dodecylbenzene sulphonate is a standard emulsifier in pesticide formulations; LAS is used in industrial cleaners and textile processing. indicative | Non-ionic surfactants |
| Non-sulphonated uses (cable oil, ink solvents, heavy alkylate) | 2% | about 0.09 Mtbasis | LAB's stability and dielectric properties suit electrical cable oils; heavy alkylate by-product goes to lubricants. indicative | Mineral oils |
From raw material to user
- Kerosene Refinery kerosene is hydrotreated; about 4-5 t of kerosene yields 1 t of C10-C13 normal paraffins, the rest returns to the fuel pool (indicative).
- n-Paraffin extraction Molecular-sieve adsorption (UOP Molex) separates straight-chain paraffins from branched and cyclic ones.
- Dehydrogenation Paraffins are dehydrogenated to mono-olefins (UOP Pacol) at about 10-15% conversion per pass, with recycle (indicative).
- Alkylation Olefins react with benzene over a solid acid catalyst (Detal) or HF; about 0.75 t paraffin and 0.34 t benzene per t LAB (indicative).
- Sulphonation Detergent makers sulphonate LAB with SO3 to LAS acid and neutralise it with caustic soda or soda ash.
Made from (commodity table)
Oil Crude oilThree things to know
- About 98% of LAB becomes LAS, the main surfactant in laundry detergents (indicative).
- India's LAB demand was forecast to grow 6% a year from 753 kt (2020) to about 1,008 kt (2025), 47% of world growth (S&P Global via Chemical Week).
- India imposed anti-dumping duties on LAB from Iran and Qatar for 2025-2030 (TPL Annual Report FY2025).