An Emulsifier for Wetting and Dealing With Emulsions

A fragrance ingredient commonly found in over the counter anti-perspirants is Alkyl Phenol or Ethoxylated Acid. What is Alkyl Phenol? It is a fragrance ingredient that is generally made from a combination of fatty acids. The most common fatty acid utilized in production of Alkyl Phenol is Isopropyl Alcohol. Other ingredient to be utilized in the production of Alkyl Phenol are Isopropyl Palmitate, Isopropyl Sulfate and Butyl Alcohol.

How is Alkyl Phenol Used? It has been found to be useful for treating some skin conditions. Some skin conditions such as dermatitis, contact dermatitis, acne rosacea and eczema have responded well to the use of alkyl phenol ethoxylate. The reason for this is that it helps to reduce the inflammation in the skin. The swelling of the skin is usually caused due to bacterial infection, irritation or injury of the skin. Thereby, it helps to reduce redness of the skin and decrease the bacterial count in the skin surface which ultimately results in reduction of the inflammation.

How is Disiplication of Alkyl Phenol Used? In a study done at the University of Wisconsin, a paper titled "alkyl phenol (alkyl) disiplicate esterification of dimethyl ester of trihalomethane (THMs) was performed. A solution of ethoxyethylated trihalomethanes (THMs) was added to an alkyl phenol-dissolved mixture. The mixture was incubated at room temperature for approximately six hours. After the incubation period, a gel was formed on the top portion of the mixture.

When the gel was placed onto a glass slide, the reflection from the glass allowed the presence of the THMs in the clear liquid. The concentration of THMs was detected after taking a scraping of the slide with the help of a spoon. The analysis of the gel was done using certain analytical method known as solid phase transfer (SPT). This method is suitable for the detection of low concentrations of THMs.

The use of alkyl phenol esters to treat dermatitis, burns and eczema: The treatment using alkyl phenol esters has been reported in some scientific studies. It was found that the acid-base mixture was very useful in treating severe burns and eczema. Therefore, the preparation of this acid was used as a surfactant for many years in the production of emulsions.

The emulsifiers having ethylene oxide or other ingredients are available in the market at different prices. The cost depends upon its content and its application. The commonly used emulsifiers having ethylene oxide are Sulfate, Dry Film Hydrated, Grease Water, Low-Density Lipoproteins (LDL), Methylene Chloride (MCL), Methylene Chloride (MEC) and Triethanolamine (TBE). In order to increase the wetting speed of the emulsifier, additional ingredients including surfactants and pH stabilizers can also be added. The most commonly used surfactant is sodium sarcosinate. Other than these, some other commonly used surfactant agents are calcium carbonate, bromine, aluminum oxide and magnesium sulfate.