Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate (70%) - China

Brief Overview

SLES 70% is a highly versatile and commonly employed surfactant, valued for its exceptional cleaning, emulsifying, wetting, thickening, and foaming characteristics. It serves as a foundational component in numerous household and personal care items, recognized for its solvent capabilities, compatibility, ability to withstand hard water, biodegradability, and its low potential for skin and eye irritation.

Manufacturing Process

SLES is produced on the basis of lauryl alcohol (dodecanol), which in turn is obtained from vegetable lauric oils. Laurin oils can be extracted from palm kernel oils or coconut oil. Palm kernel oils account for about 80% of the fatty alcohols and surfactants produced from them, while the remaining 20% are attributed to coconut oil.The manufacturing process is as follows:
- Dodecanol is obtained by hydrogenating the fatty acids and fatty acid esters from palm kernel and coconut oil and then working up the reaction mixture.
- SLES is produced by reacting dodecanol with ethylene oxide. The number of oxyethylene units is usually about 2.
- Sulphur trioxide is then used for sulphation.
- A by-product of this process is 1,4-dioxane, which is harmful to health. The end product with two oxyethylene units, sodium 2-(2-dodecyloxyethoxy)ethyl sulphate, is considered irritating to the skin and eyes.

SLES principally used in cosmetic cleansing formulations such as shampoos, shower gels and foam baths,
and liquid dishwashing, technical cleaning agents as well as liquid detergents