# Surfactants

Surfactants are the cleaning molecules in detergents, shampoos and industrial processes; a $49 billion, roughly 18 Mt market split between oil-based and palm- or coconut-based chains.

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/surfactants/

Specialty chemicals · Industrial & consumer specialties · No. 86

- Product family
- Feedstock: Oil, gas or coal
- about 17-20 Mt a year excluding soap (indicative, basis: about 5.8 Mt LAS from 4.4 Mt LAB, about 6-7 Mt of ethoxylates from about 4 Mt EO, plus alcohol sulphates, cationics and amphoterics)
- 2.5 t CO₂e per t
- HS 340211, 340213
 Specialty chemicals · Industrial & consumer specialties · Foundation · Matter

Every detergent, shampoo and toothpaste relies on a molecule with a water-loving head and a grease-loving tail.

Chart: Illustration: Surfactants

##### Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

The oily tail comes from kerosene and benzene or from palm kernel and coconut oil; a tonne of LAS acid needs about 0.74 t of LAB.

##### Three things to know

1. LAS, made from linear alkylbenzene, is roughly 30% of surfactant volume because it is the cheapest strong cleaner.
2. Petro-based fatty alcohol averages about 2.97 kg CO2e per kg, against about 5.27 kg for palm-kernel based.
3. India is a net exporter of LAS but imported 44% of its LAB raw material in 2020.

##### The journey

1. 1 **Oil or palm**Kerosene and benzene, or palm kernel oil
2. 2 **Hydrophobe**LAB or fatty alcohol makes the oily tail
3. 3 **Head group**Sulphonated, sulphated or ethoxylated
4. 4 **Neutralised paste**28-70% active pastes and liquids
5. 5 **Cleaning products**Detergents, shampoos, industrial cleaners
 Covered in [The chemical industry: what it makes and how it is organisedChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/chem-industry-map/)[From building blocks to plastics, fibres and detergentsChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/building-blocks-to-polymers/)[Soaps, detergents and agrochemicalsChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/soaps-detergents-agrochemicals/)[Biorefineries and platform chemicalsChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/biorefineries-platform-chemicals/)

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## Other sections

- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/surfactants/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/surfactants/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/surfactants/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/surfactants/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/surfactants/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/surfactants/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/surfactants/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/surfactants/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/surfactants/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/surfactants/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/surfactants/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/surfactants/links/index.md)