Nonionic surfactants are surfactants whose molecules contain ether groups that do not dissociate in aqueous solution as the main hydrophilic group. Their surface activity is reflected by neutral molecules. Nonionic surfactants have high surface activity, good solubilization, washing, antistatic, calcium soap dispersion, and other properties, with minimal irritation and excellent wetting and washing functions. They have a broader applicable pH range than general ionic surfactants and can also be used with other ionic surfactants. Adding a small amount of nonionic surfactants to ionic surfactants can enhance the system's surface activity. According to the structure of the hydrophilic group, nonionic surfactants can be divided into polyoxyethylene type, polyol type, alkanolamide type, polyether type, amine oxide type, etc.
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1. The advantages of nonionic surfactants
Nonionic surfactants offer many advantages: excellent wetting and washing functions, strong detergency, good emulsifying, penetrating, and foaming properties, along with stabilization, antistatic, and sterilization effects. They exhibit high stability, do not ionize in aqueous solutions, and are unaffected by strong electrolytes, acids, alkalis, or calcium and magnesium ions in hard water. They also have good compatibility with various other surfactants, including anionic and cationic types. Non-toxic, non-irritating, and biodegradable, nonionic surfactants are considered a new generation of "green products".
2. Uses of nonionic surfactants
Most nonionic surfactants are in liquid and slurry form, with solubility in water decreasing as temperature rises. They possess good washing, dispersing, emulsifying, foaming, wetting, solubilizing, antistatic, level dyeing, anticorrosion, bactericidal, and protective colloid properties. These surfactants find applications across various industries, including textiles, paper, food, plastics, leather, fur, glass, petroleum, chemical fiber, medicine, pesticides, paint, dyes, fertilizers, film, photography, metal processing, mineral processing, building materials, environmental protection, cosmetics, fire protection, and agriculture.
Nonionic surfactants were introduced to production later than their ionic counterparts. However, since their application began in the 1930s, they have developed rapidly and been widely used, with many properties surpassing those of ionic surfactants. With the advancement of the petroleum industry, abundant raw material sources, continuous process improvements, and decreasing costs have contributed to their popularity.
3. Application of surfactants
1. Biodegradability and Environmental Impact:
Nonionic surfactants are generally considered environmentally friendly due to their good biodegradability. This characteristic is crucial in modern industries that increasingly focus on sustainable and green practices. Their ability to break down into non-toxic byproducts helps minimize environmental impact.
2. Temperature Stability:
Nonionic surfactants often exhibit stability over a wide range of temperatures. This property is especially advantageous in industrial processes where temperature variations are common. It ensures consistent performance in diverse applications such as laundry detergents, where washing might occur at different temperatures.
3. Compatibility with Sensitive Materials:
Nonionic surfactants are known for their compatibility with sensitive materials, making them suitable for industries like pharmaceuticals, where compatibility with active ingredients is critical. Their non-reactive nature prevents undesirable interactions with other substances.
4. Improved Emulsification:
Nonionic surfactants are effective emulsifiers, widely used in formulations requiring stable emulsions. This property is valuable in industries like food and cosmetics, where emulsions are common in products such as creams, lotions, and food dressings.
5. Enhanced Stability in Hard Water:
The stability of nonionic surfactants in hard water, where calcium and magnesium ions are present, contributes to their effectiveness in various applications. This stability is crucial in industries such as agriculture, where water hardness can vary, and in household cleaning products.
6. Versatility in Formulations:
Nonionic surfactants are often chosen for their versatility in formulations. Their compatibility with other surfactants, including anionic and cationic types, allows for complex formulations tailored to specific applications, providing a wide range of performance attributes.
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7. Petrochemical Industry Applications:
Besides their historical development tied to the petroleum industry, nonionic surfactants continue to play a crucial role in various petrochemical processes. They are suitable for applications such as enhanced oil recovery, aiding in the extraction of oil from reservoirs.
8. Pharmaceutical and Medical Applications:
Nonionic surfactants find applications in the pharmaceutical and medical fields, especially in drug delivery systems and formulations. Their non-toxic and biocompatible nature makes them suitable for products intended for human health.
These points highlight the versatility and importance of nonionic surfactants in diverse industries, showcasing their role in contributing to efficient and sustainable processes.
How Nonionic Surfactants Changed the Way We Approach Weed Management
The way we approach weed management has been greatly influenced by the introduction of Nonionic surfactants (NIS). Adjuvants have been around for over 200 years, but it wasn't until the 1960s that research and implementation of nonionic surfactants began. Initially, petroleum-based oil was used in conjunction with surfactants to create an emulsion for herbicide application. Only a few surfactants were commercially available at that time; however, research into nonionic surfactants continued into the 1970s and 1980s. It was found that not all surfactants enhanced the efficacy of herbicide applications. In the 1990s, there was a collective effort to significantly understand the relationship between surfactant structures and herbicide uptake enhancement. Since then, there has been a growing understanding of how surfactants, especially nonionic surfactants, work to enhance herbicide uptake through spray applications. Nonionic surfactants are now included as at least one component within many adjuvant formulations. An adjuvant is referred to as a Nonionic Surfactant (NIS) when nonionic surfactants provide the dominant features of the adjuvant formulation.
How do Nonionic surfactants work in weed control?
Surfactant can be broken down into three words – surface, active, agent – surfactants are compounds that lower the surface tension between two liquids or between a liquid and a solid. When herbicide mixtures are applied to plants as a spray, the herbicide solution spreads over the leaf surface, wets it, and penetrates the cuticle to reach the target site. Nonionic surfactants, when added to herbicide mixtures, can affect several aspects of the uptake process of the herbicide within the plant leaf.
Adding nonionic surfactants to the herbicide mixture has three main effects:
- It enhances the contact between the liquid solution and the solid leaf surface by spreading the droplet over the leaf surface, which is called spreading or wettability.
- It prevents or delays the formation of crystal residues from droplets. Without the presence of the surfactant, droplets can form crystalline solids, while with the surfactant, they form amorphous solids. Amorphous solids are easier to transport into the leaf because they are less ordered than crystals.
- It increases the probability of the herbicide active ingredient’s retention on the leaf surface and, therefore, the probability of diffusion through the leaf cuticle. This probability increases due to an increase in the surface area coverage of the droplet, which gives the herbicide active ingredient more chances to diffuse into the leaf. Without the surfactant, the herbicide mixture droplet has a significantly higher surface tension at the contact point with the leaf surface and will 'bead-up' like a ball instead of spreading out, which reduces the wetting of the leaf surface.
In summary, adding nonionic surfactants reduces the surface tension of the solution, resulting in better spread, coverage, and uptake of the herbicide by the plant.
Droplets containing a surfactant deposited on a waxy geranium leaf surface have a much larger area of coverage than droplets without the surfactant. (Photo courtesy of https://www.ars.usda.gov/midwest-area/wooster-oh/application-technology-research/engineering/evaporation-and-spread-of-surfactant-amended-droplets-on-leaves/)
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What are the benefits of nonionic surfactants and why are they important?
- They increase the spreading and retention of the herbicide solution spray droplet, which reduces the gallons per acre (GPA) usage of the herbicide.
- They increase the efficiency of herbicide active ingredients by providing the highest probability of herbicides diffusing into the plant leaf. Additionally, they reduce the spray droplet bounce and run off when spraying the herbicide mixture. This saves time for applicators and minimizes the risk of potential respraying.
As a result, using nonionic surfactants can lead to more efficient herbicide application, reducing the amount of herbicide needed and minimizing the need for additional applications.
Why are nonionic surfactants preferred over ionic surfactants in weed control?
Both types of surfactants have benefits, but nonionic surfactants are generally preferred due to superior performance and lower risks of phytotoxicity. Ionic surfactants can be categorized as cationic, anionic, and amphoteric surfactants, and carry either an overall negative or positive charge or a potential for both charges depending on the pH. These charges can interact with the herbicide active ingredient. Although in some cases this interaction can result in an enhancement of herbicide activity, it can also increase the risk of phytotoxicity and reduce the effectiveness of herbicides in hard water conditions. Nonionic surfactants do not carry an overall charge, allowing for greater versatility in a wider range of conditions. In addition, nonionic surfactants are generally less toxic and have a lower environmental impact than ionic surfactants. While both nonionic and ionic surfactants reduce the surface tension between two liquids, the reduced risk of phytotoxicity and versatility of nonionic surfactants make them the preferred choice for herbicide application.
What are the widely used chemical types of nonionic surfactants?
The most widely used chemical types of nonionic surfactants include:
- Alcohol ethoxylates
- Alkylphenol ethoxylates
- Ethoxylated sorbitan esters
- Trisiloxane ethoxylates
- Alkyl polyglucosides
- Alkylamine ethoxylates
A simple way to check if an adjuvant contains nonionic surfactants is to look for the terms “Ethoxylates” or “polyethylene oxides” in the ingredient list on the label. These terms represent the water-loving part of the surfactant molecule.
The versatility of nonionic surfactants in adjuvants:
Nonionic surfactants are versatile adjuvants that are not only used on their own but also in the formulation of other types of adjuvants such as Methylated Seed Oils (MSO), Crop Oil Concentrates (COC), and High Surfactant Oil Concentrates (HSOC). Nonionic surfactants are preferred in these formulations due to their ability to function as wetters/spreaders, emulsifiers, dispersants, compatibility agents, and more. This versatility has made nonionic surfactants a vital component of adjuvants for weed control.
In conclusion, the use of nonionic surfactants has revolutionized the chemical control of weeds, making herbicides more effective, efficient, and environmentally friendly.
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List of Brewer Adjuvants classified as Nonionic Surfactants:
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