Foaming Agent Surfactant

A foaming agent surfactant is a type of non-ionic, amphiphilic, hydrophobic surfactant which reduces the surface tension between water and other liquids. They are used in many different applications, including detergents and body washes, shampoos, hair conditioners, toothpastes, deodorants, cosmetics, a wide range of industrial cleaning processes, and the preparation of building materials.

Foaming agents are usually a mixture of various chemicals, with varying degrees of activity under pressure. They can be formulated to produce either general purpose or dispersing foams.

In the oil industry, foaming agents are typically made up of a mix of chemicals to deal with the many issues associated with foaming crude oils. They can be formulated to have a wide variety of effects, and the exact combinations are rarely known ahead of time.

They are typically designed to create a stable, resistant foam. This is achieved by combining a number of factors that are primarily governed by the nature and chemistry of the component parts.

These parts can be a combination of amphiphilic surfactants (a kind of amphiphilic chemical that has a water-soluble and an oil-soluble side chain). The most common are sulfates such as sodium laureth sulfate or cocoamide propyl betaine.

The sulfates have two key effects: they help to create the foam by reducing the surface tension of the liquid to a reasonable level. They also act as a barrier against gas diffusion from one part of the foam to another, so that small bubbles don't fall apart quickly.