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Topic: Detergents  (Read 7081 times)

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yangyangg

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Detergents
« on: May 15, 2006, 08:52:04 AM »
Some people say that deterfents can react with grease to form soluble products so that the grease can be removed, is it correct?

Offline Yggdrasil

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Re: Detergents
« Reply #1 on: May 15, 2006, 01:51:18 PM »
Detergents have nonpolar tail group and a polar head group.  In solution, the nonpolar tail groups are excluded from water, so they form micelles (the picture here is helpful).  In these micelles, the nonpolar tails form a hydrophobic environment in the interior, while the polar head groups create a polar environment on the outside.  Since the outside is polar, the micelle is able to disolve in water.  However, because the inside of the micelle is nonpolar, it can capture nonpolar substances (such as dirt and grease) which are soluble in a hydrophobic environment.  When these grease molecules become trapped in the micelles, they can be washed away with the water soluble micelles.

So, it really isn't a chemical reaction which solublizes the grease.  Basically the detergent micelles capture grease and allow them to enter the soluble phase and be washed away.

Offline mrdeadman

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Re: Detergents
« Reply #2 on: May 15, 2006, 07:37:10 PM »
Detergents have nonpolar tail group and a polar head group.  In solution, the nonpolar tail groups are excluded from water, so they form micelles (the picture here is helpful).  In these micelles, the nonpolar tails form a hydrophobic environment in the interior, while the polar head groups create a polar environment on the outside.  Since the outside is polar, the micelle is able to disolve in water.  However, because the inside of the micelle is nonpolar, it can capture nonpolar substances (such as dirt and grease) which are soluble in a hydrophobic environment.  When these grease molecules become trapped in the micelles, they can be washed away with the water soluble micelles.

So, it really isn't a chemical reaction which solublizes the grease.  Basically the detergent micelles capture grease and allow them to enter the soluble phase and be washed away.
that's why it cleans up grease, grease and oil are nonpolar so they "stick" to the nonpolar side while water "sticks" to the polar side.  :o I remember we did an entire lab on this in the general chem.
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Offline rctrackstar2007

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Re: Detergents
« Reply #3 on: May 15, 2006, 07:48:42 PM »
does anyone know any of the characteristics of Lava that make it such a good grease remover?
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The world is like an atom. The not-quite-as-intelligent people are the nucleus all packed together sharing a common...everything. We, we are the electrons. Granted we're not as smart as these engineers and what-not so we're most likely in the first orbital, but we're the electrons of this giant atom. We all have differing intelligences and ideas and we are separated from the nucleus which makes us better because no one really cares about how a nucleus acts. It's the electrons that make chemistry, except for nuclear chem, of course, which I am a big fan of.

-Your's truly, 2006;
  written to describe the HS chem student apart from the average being

Offline Donaldson Tan

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Re: Detergents
« Reply #4 on: May 16, 2006, 07:16:33 PM »
Lava = molten earth. LOL
"Say you're in a [chemical] plant and there's a snake on the floor. What are you going to do? Call a consultant? Get a meeting together to talk about which color is the snake? Employees should do one thing: walk over there and you step on the friggin� snake." - Jean-Pierre Garnier, CEO of Glaxosmithkline, June 2006

Offline rctrackstar2007

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Re: Detergents
« Reply #5 on: May 16, 2006, 07:18:29 PM »
Lava = molten earth. LOL

no i mean the soap Lava, unless that was a hint of sarcasm in the intraweb air  ::)
AP Chemistry Squad Member [002]

The world is like an atom. The not-quite-as-intelligent people are the nucleus all packed together sharing a common...everything. We, we are the electrons. Granted we're not as smart as these engineers and what-not so we're most likely in the first orbital, but we're the electrons of this giant atom. We all have differing intelligences and ideas and we are separated from the nucleus which makes us better because no one really cares about how a nucleus acts. It's the electrons that make chemistry, except for nuclear chem, of course, which I am a big fan of.

-Your's truly, 2006;
  written to describe the HS chem student apart from the average being

Offline mrdeadman

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Re: Detergents
« Reply #6 on: May 16, 2006, 08:13:10 PM »
im pretty sure that was sarcasm man.  :P
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Offline rctrackstar2007

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Re: Detergents
« Reply #7 on: May 16, 2006, 08:24:19 PM »
im pretty sure that was sarcasm man.  :P

that's why included my little end note lol i was just to lazy to delete the first part
AP Chemistry Squad Member [002]

The world is like an atom. The not-quite-as-intelligent people are the nucleus all packed together sharing a common...everything. We, we are the electrons. Granted we're not as smart as these engineers and what-not so we're most likely in the first orbital, but we're the electrons of this giant atom. We all have differing intelligences and ideas and we are separated from the nucleus which makes us better because no one really cares about how a nucleus acts. It's the electrons that make chemistry, except for nuclear chem, of course, which I am a big fan of.

-Your's truly, 2006;
  written to describe the HS chem student apart from the average being

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