Because of its low cost, good performance, ability to be dried to a stable powder, and biodegradable environmental friendliness, linear alkyl benzene sulphonic acid is the most widely used synthetic surfactant. LAB Sulphonic Acid is an anionic surfactant that is commonly used in the production of domestic detergent powders, cake and dishwashing cleansers.
Linear alkyl benzene sulfonic acids are complex mixtures of homologues of different alkyl chain lengths (C10 to C13 or C14) and phenyl positional isomers of 2 to 5-phenyl in proportions dictated by the starting materials and reaction conditions, each containing an aromatic ring sulfonated at the para position and attached to a linear alkyl chain at any position with the exception of terminal one, each containing an aromatic (1-phenyl).
The physical and chemical properties of linear alkyl benzene sulfonic vary depending on the alkyl chain length, resulting in formulations for varied uses.
Because of its low production cost, good performance, and ability to be dried to a stable powder, LAS is the most widely used synthetic surfactant. It is also biodegradable and environmentally friendly. LAS is employed in the production of detergents in excess of 80% of the time. It can also be used as a wetting or dispersion agent in textile processing.
LAS is available in liquid and powder forms and can be employed in both acidic and alkaline formulations. Other surfactants are also compatible with it. LAS is the ideal choice for detergent manufacturing because of its biodegradability and compatibility with other surfactants. To improve the cleaning ability of detergents, it can be combined with other non-ionic and cationic surfactants.
• HI&I cleaning
• Emulsion polymerization
• Metalworking
• Paints & coatings
• Laundry detergents
• Industrial auxiliaries
• Oil fields
• Agriculture
The global linear alkyl benzene sulfonic acid market is being driven by an increase in demand for liquid detergents in various end-use sectors such as food & beverage, textiles, and household around the globe. Linear alkyl benzene sulfonic acid has great foaming characteristics and aids in stain removal by lowering the water's surface tension. Other surfactants, such as alcohol ether sulphates (AES), compete with linear alkyl benzene sulfonic acid by offering better enzyme compatibility, stronger hard-water tolerance, and being gentler than linear alkyl benzene sulfonic acid.
During the projected period, these factors are expected to hamper the global market. High AES prices and a scarcity of supply, on the other hand, are expected to generate lucrative prospects for manufacturers of linear alkyl benzene sulfonic acid. The market is divided into Detergent, Emulsifier, Coupling Agent, and Agricultural Herbicides based on application.
Detergent
Linear Alkylbenzene Sulfonic Acid is a surfactant found in laundry detergents and powders. It dissolves in water and produces foam, which aids in the removal of filth from clothing by creating a lather. The main goal of adding Linear Alkylbenzene Sulfonic Acid to a detergent is to boost its cleaning effectiveness and extend the time a stain stays on clothing.
Emulsifier
LABSA (Linear Alkylbenzene Sulfonic Acid) is a synthetic emulsifier and wetting ingredient used in detergents. It can be used to improve the performance of products in a variety of industries, including pharmaceuticals, food processing, oilfield chemicals, and water treatment chemicals. Pharmaceuticals, food processing, oilfield chemicals, and water treatment chemicals all use linear alkyl benzene sulfonic acid to improve the performance of their goods.
Agent of Coupling
The Linear Alkylbenzene Sulfonic Acid in Coupling Agent is used to make alkylated phenols, such as octylphenol ethoxylates and nonylphenol ethoxylates, which are mixtures of branched-chain tertiary alcohols with seven to nine carbon atoms and the formula: where R is a branched alkyl or alkenyl group. Nonionic surfactants, such as nonylphenol polyethylene glycol ethers (NPEs), octylphenol polyethylene glycol ethers (OPEs), and dodecyl phenol-polyoxyethylene(20)glycol ether, are all made with linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid in Coupling Agent.
Herbicides for Agriculture
In agricultural herbicides, linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid is used to suppress weeds. It can be made from petroleum, shale oil, or coal tar, and it's widely used as a chemical intermediary in the manufacture of a variety of other chemicals, including pesticide esters. It can be used to eliminate weeds from a field or paved areas and helps to limit the growth of dangerous plants. It's also known as LABSA (sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate), and its active ingredient kills plant roots while also preventing them from sprouting in the future.
The global Linear Alkyl Benzene Sulphonic Acid market was worth USD 3606.9 million in 2020, and it is predicted to rise at a CAGR of 3.5 percent from 2021 to 2027, to reach USD 4601.4 million by the end of 2027.
LABSA is divided into two types: LABSA 96 percent and LABSA 90 percent. The downstream application sectors will require more LABSA products as a result of the washing function of LABSA. As a result, LABSA has a significant future market potential. Manufacturers in the business are working to improve technology in order to create high purity and high performance LABSA.
Industry Major Market Players
· CEPSA
· Sasol
· KAPACHIM
· Stepan
· SK
· Fogla Group
· New India Detergents
· ISU Chemical
· Solvay
· Dada Surfactants
· Huntsman
· Kao
· Tufail
· Hansa Group
· Miwon Chemical
· NCSP
· FUCC
· Lion
· Ho Tung
· Nanjing Gige
