Influence of electrolytes on the structural and viscosity properties of mixed anionic–nonionic–zwitterionic surfactants in detergent formulations

Cleaning products have a global market of around $33 billion in 2020 and play an essential role in daily life, providing consumers with important public health benefits. Surfactants are the main ingredients of cleaning products and they can effectively remove dirt, germs, and other contaminants from surfaces. Understanding the role of each surfactant class in a detergent formulation and their interaction with NaCl is of utmost importance for formulating efficient and sustainable cleaning products. This paper describes the study of ternary surfactant systems consisting of surfactants (sodium lauryl ether sulfate, alkyl polyglycoside, or betaine, three of the most commonly used surfactants in detergent formulations), water, and NaCl. The effects of concentration on critical micelle concentration, aggregate size, and rheological behavior were evaluated by dynamic light scattering and rheology techniques.