SURFACTANT SYNTHESIS - LABSA

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Linear alkene benzene sulphonic acid (LABSA)

Some of the commonly used alkyl benzene derivatives include

• Linear alkyl benzene sulphonic acid

• Linear alkyl benzene sulphonate

1. Linear alkylbenzene (LAB)/ Soft alkylate:
   Linear alkylbenzene (LAB), the material used to produce LAS, is derived exclusively from petroleum derivatives: benzene and linear paraffins. Since the 1960s resulted in LAB emerging as the dominant precursor of biodegradable detergents replacing branched dodecylbenzene (DDB). LAB contains 10 to 16 carbon atoms, although generally supplied as a tighter cut, such as C12-C15, C12-C13 and C10-C13, for detergent use. Hydrotreated kerosene is a typical feedstock for high purity linear paraffins, which are subsequently dehydrogenated to linear olefins. The resulting linear mono-olefins react with benzene in the presence of a catalyst to produce the LABs. Hydrogen fluoride (HF) and aluminum chloride (AlCl3) are the two major catalysts for the alkylation of benzene with linear mono-olefins. The HF-based process is commercially dominant. Important product characteristics include the bromine index, sulfonatability, amount of 2-phenyl isomers (2-phenylalkane), the tetralin content, amount of non-alkylbenzene components, and the linearity of the product.
   
   
2. Linear Alkylbenzene Sulphonic Acid (LABSA)/ n-Dodecylbenzene
   Sulfonic Acid: LABSA is intermediate of LAB and LAS, produced on LAB sulphonation, HLAS on neutralization results in to LABS salt (LAS). Alkylbenzene sulphonate is made from the sulphonation reaction of an alkylbenzene (LAB) with a sulphonating agent (a dilute solution of SO3 in air -typically 10% SO3) in a falling film sulphonator to give the sulfonic acid (LABSA). The result of sulphonating LAB is the formation of alkylbenzene sulphonic acid (LABSA), which has the consistency of a liquid with a high active content (>97%), containing about 1% of unsulphonated matter and 1-2% of H2SO4. It represents commercially the most important supply form. The Linear alkylbenzene sulphonic acid is typically a low viscosity liquid, even at manufacturing concentrations of 96%. It can be stored for extended periods, due to the stability of the carbon–sulphur bond which makes the use of the concentrated sulphonic acid a highly cost-effective way to deliver the surfactant into a formulation. Linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid (LABSA) is the largest-volume synthetic surfactant because of its relatively low cost, good performance, the fact that it can be dried to a stable powder and the biodegradable environmental friendliness as it has straight chain. It is one of main raw material of detergent.
   It has good decontamination and foaming property, and Linear Alkyl Benzene Sulfonic acid is stable in acidic, alkalic and some oxide solution. The degree of biodegradation is more than 90%. Linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid is mainly used to produce household detergents including laundry powders (washing powder), laundry liquids, dishwashing liquids, dishwashing detergent and other household cleaners. It is also used in numerous industrial applications like textile cleaning agent, dyeing auxiliary (assistant); electroplating industry, leather making industry, degreasing agent (degreaser of plating); made Paper deinking agent industry, as a coupling agent and as an emulsifier for agricultural herbicides and in emulsion polymerization. 
   
   
   As the raw material of detergent, Linear Alkylbenzene Sulfonic acid is used to produce alkylbenzene sulfonic acid sodium (LAS), which has the performances of decontamination, emulsification, dispersion, wetting and foaming property.
   
   
   Thanks & Regards
   Manu & Ram