A foam is produced by the distribution of a gas in a liquid. Without a surfactant to stabilise the foam, the liquid and gas would quickly separate causing the foam to collapse. This is primarily caused by drainage of liquid within the film, which causes thinning and the eventual collapse of the foam. Surfactants therefore act at the liquid, gas, or solid gas interface to stabilise foam to reduce surface tension.
A foaming agent material facilitates the formation of foam for example a surfactant or a blowing agent. A surfactant, when present in small components, reduces surface tension of a liquid (reduces the work needed to create the foam) or increases its overall stability of colloidal by inhibiting coalescence of bubbles.
Uses of foaming surfactants
Foam is important in a wide range of products for both practical (such as firefighting foams and poly urethane foams) and aesthetic (many consumer and institutional products, such as toiletries and HI&I) purposes.
Betaines – Complementary ingredient
At Libra Speciality Chemicals, our range of surfactants possess exceptional foaming abilities, making them suitable for a variety of uses. The Librateric CAB range are some of our bestselling foaming surfactants.
The Librateric CAB range consists of Cocamidopropyl betaines manufactured in the UK and can be derived from hydrogenated and refined coconut oil, palm kernel oil or vegetable fatty acid. Our products range from 30 to 38% and can be preserved with Sodium Benzoate or be high alkalinity and self-preserving.
Our new low-salt betaine contains just 10% of standard CAPB salt levels – 0.5% instead of 5.5% salt. This means that formulation inclusion levels can be increased up to ten times without exceeding the original salt level of the formulation. All of this whilst still producing the high foaming characteristics our customers know and love.
The Librateric CAB range provides exceptional viscosity building and foam boosting to anionic based cleansers. In a personal care setting and in shampoo formulations, Librateric CAB significantly reduces the amount of static build up while contributing to overall ‘mildness’. As well as this, it is stable and efficacious over a broad pH range and is compatible with both anionic and cationic surfactants.
If you have any questions about foaming, or any of our other quality products, please get in touch with a member of our team
Tel: +44 161 775 1888
Email: sales@librachem.co.uk
Web: www.librachem.co.uk
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