FOAM ENHANCEMENT BY SHORT-CHAIN HYDROPHOBE ALCOHOL ETHOXYLATES IN LIGHT DUTY LIQUIDS

This study examined linear alcohol ethoxylates as foam-enhancing agent s in light-duty liquids. The ethoxylates mere formulated as supplement ary surfactants to an anionic main surfactant system. The relationship between ethoxylate structure and performance was elucidated compariso ns were made between ethoxylates and other recognized foam-enhancing a gents, and a representative light-duty liquid formula was optimized. P erformance evaluation focused on manual plate washing capacity but als o included agitation foam volume, surface activity, cloud and clear te mperatures, viscosity and grease cutting. Short-chain alcohol ethoxyla tes with a high degree of ethoxylation (such as C-8 with 70% or 7 mole s of ethylene oxide) gave optimum performance that was comparable to o r better than acknowledged foam-enhancing agents. The substitution of an alcohol ethoxylate for a fatty acid ethanolamide in the test formul ation resulted in substantially lower formulation viscosity.