Question

What is an Anionic surfactant?

Answer 1

Surfactants are the molecules amphiphilic in nature and contain hydrophobic and hydrophilic ends. The surfactant molecules are going to be absorbed by the oil and make it off from the surface of the clothes.

Complete answer: - In the question it is asked what anionic surfactant is.
- Surfactants are the chemicals and also called as detergents and are going to be used to remove the dirt or oil marks from the clothes, utensils and from the skin.
- Surfactants are also used in industries.
- Surfactants are amphiphilic in nature and contain both hydrophilic and hydrophobic ends.
- The hydrophobic contains hydrocarbon chain or fluorocarbon as the backbone.
- Coming to the hydrophilic part it contains charge.
- There are two types of charges on the hydrophilic end and they are positive and negative.
- If the hydrophilic part of the surfactants contains negative charge then they are called anionic surfactants.
- If the hydrophilic part of the surfactants contains positive charge then they are called cationic surfactants.
- If the hydrophilic part or end does not contain any charge then they are called non-ionic in nature or neutral.
- In industries the commonly used surfactants are anionic or neutral in nature.
- Shampoos and detergents mostly contain anionic surfactants.

Note: Cationic surfactants are generally going to be used as wetting agents and also they have a big role in food industries. Surfactants are going to be used as a detergent, emulsifier, foaming agent or wetting agent.