Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating how to make thickness for floor detergent

  • how to make thickness for floor detergent

    Posted by Anonymous on December 5, 2017 at 6:43 am

    Dear all,
    I tried to increase viscosity for my floor detergent by carbomer or/and CMC to look more thickness, but when I used them, my solution look less viscosity. I don’t know why.
    Please help me, my fomular follow below:

    + 80 gram LABS,
    + 20 g SLES
    + 0.2 g CDEA
    + 2 g Carbomer (0.2 % w/w)
    + or/and 15 g CMC (1.5%)
    + 20 ml Na2SO4 (saturated solution)
    + add water to 1 kg.

    Carbomer and CMC, I dispersed each of them into water before added to detergent solution. both carbomer/ CMC and detergent solution are high viscosity, but when i add carbomer into dertergent, they become low viscosity.

    Please, tell me what’s wrong with my experiment?
    thanks all and have a nice day!!!

    luiscuevasii replied 6 years, 3 months ago 3 Members · 10 Replies
  • 10 Replies
  • Anonymous

    Guest
    December 5, 2017 at 6:44 am

    sorry, I forgot am important step, I neutralize LABs and SLES by NaOH solution.

  • em88

    Member
    December 5, 2017 at 8:05 am

    The important step you forgot is the problem.
    I think NaOH is causing the decrease in viscosity. 

  • Anonymous

    Guest
    December 5, 2017 at 9:32 am

    //em88//, thank for your ideal, but you have any suggestion, what chemical we can use to replace NaOH?

  • em88

    Member
    December 5, 2017 at 10:16 am

    Why are you neutralizing SLES? 
    What is the viscosity you want to achieve? 
    CMC alone should be sufficient.

  • chemist77

    Member
    December 5, 2017 at 12:35 pm

    Try sodium chloride, get rid of carbomer and cmc. Simple!!! And you never neutralize SLES, period!!!
    That SLES though is going to leave good amount of residue on the floor after cleaning, FYI.

  • Anonymous

    Guest
    December 5, 2017 at 12:47 pm

    I add SLES and CDEA at final step, after solute LABS into water, I neutralize by NaOH. I also use Na2SO4 to get high viscosity. but 20ml saturated Na2s204 is not sufficient.

  • em88

    Member
    December 5, 2017 at 2:31 pm

    I haven’t worked with LABS so far, but I don’t think you should neutralize it with NaOH, SLES and CDEA do not need to be neutralized. NaOH is reducing the viscosity. 
    Instead of Na2SO4, use NaCl. You may also add some acid like citric acid which will increase the viscosity. 
    Removing carbomer and CMC will make the manufacturing process easier, you should take this in consideration. 

  • chemist77

    Member
    December 5, 2017 at 4:19 pm

    LABSA needs to be neutralized here, can’t leave it unneutralized. Neutralization will convert into sodium salt which then becomes a surfactant. I don’t see a need for sodium sulfate, not sure what’s the need here. Generally a filler/bulking agent for powder laundry detergents, use sodium chloride and it should thicken the solution. Next time post your formulation in percentage to make things easier for those who try to advise. 
    If the solution still remains thin, then there are not enough surfactants and you would need to increase everything in little increments. 

  • em88

    Member
    December 6, 2017 at 7:41 am

    I’m sorry regarding LABSA. Taking notes :)
    @Chemist77, thanks for explaining it! 

  • luiscuevasii

    Member
    December 9, 2017 at 9:22 pm

    carbomer and cmc are too expensive for a floor detergent, besides that’ they arent compatible with sodium LABSA, you are ussing sles and cdea, just add salt until you get your desired viscosity, i have seen some manufatures that use arround 15-18% neutralized labsa by it self to get the desired viscosity

Log in to reply.