Basic Uses of Nonionic Surfactants

Nonionic surfactants do not ionize in water. They are amphiphilic molecules with hydroxyl (-OH) or ether bond (R—O—R′) as the hydrophilic group. 

Because the hydrophilicity of hydroxyl and ether bonds is weak, the molecule must contain multiple such groups—only to show a certain degree 

of hydrophilicity. This is quite different from anionic and cationic surfactants that can exhibit hydrophilicity with only one hydrophilic group. 

It is precisely because non-ionic surfactants have the characteristics of non-ionization in water, which determines that they are superior to ionic 

surfactants in some aspects, such as better solubility in water and organic solvents, high stability in solution, and are not easily affected by strong 

electrolyte inorganic salts and acids and bases. Because of its good compatibility with other types of surfactants, it can often be mixed and 

compounded well. Nonionic surfactants have good hard water resistance and low foaming properties, so they are suitable for special detergents. 

Because of its dispersing, emulsifying, foaming, wetting, and solubilizing properties, it has important uses in many fields.