Date: Thu, 5 Aug 2010 12:35:16 -0400
Reply-To: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
Sender: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
From: DrHenry <henryb**At_Symbol_Here**ITT.EDU>
Subject: Re: oxyalkylated alcohols

You are basically talking about a
 
surface active agent
surfactant
detergent
soap
dispersant
 
or any of the many names that are used.  They are
mainly added to commercial product for solubility
and mixing reasons, to keep the ingredients of the
product in one phase.  If used directly, they can
clean fabric, but usually in a product those are
the uses.  You can even find them used as lubricants.
They basically make water a better solvent for more
organic materials.
 
They are not benign in the environment and in textiles, we
have to worry about removing them from wastewater streams
before discharge.
 
This book has some of the structures that can be used (page 5).
 
http://books.google.com/books?id=ymtDOXqm15IC&pg=PA 289&lpg=PA289&dq=textile+surfactants&source=bl&ots= 8JCPHbpbz9&sig=NEicjDrDCVvTl6sbf4Aj2QLPHio&hl=en&ei=Iud aTNPTJcT58Ab-yNXkAg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&r esnum=1&ved=0CBsQ6AEwADgK#v=onepage&q=textile%20surfactan ts&f=false
 
also this one (page 46)
 
htt p://books.google.com/books?id=qWVtCb3Lt48C&pg=PA51&dq=oxyal kylated+alcohols&hl=en&ei=mudaTJW6CoKC8gb4haT5Ag&sa=X&a mp;oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8&ved=0CFMQ6AEwBw# v=onepage&q=oxyalkylated%20alcohols&f=false
 
 
 
Dr.Henry A. Boyter Jr.
Director of CESTAB
Council for Economically Sustainable Textile and Apparel Businesses
NC State University College of Textiles
2401 Research Drive
Raleigh, NC 27695-8301
919-513-7704
http://www.cestab.org
 
 
----- Original Message -----
From: ACTSNYC**At_Symbol_Here**CS.COM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
Sent: Thursday, August 05, 2010 8:06 AM
Subject: [DCHAS-L] oxyalkylated alcohols

OK, professors, I give up on this class of chemicals.  I am seeing MSDSs on everything from detergents to pesticides to photosensitive chemical developers listing this category of chemical.  Of course, they are hiding an individual chemical by listing a whole class probably by a synonym, but I'm even confused about what the generic structure looks like.

I know what an alkyl group is, so let's call it R-

I know what an alcohol looks like, so lets use ethanol.

Oxy means an 0=

But how do I fit these together into what they are talking about?

Thanks.

Monona

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