What is a surfactant and why is it useful?
In: Chemistry
Surfactants are a special kind of molecule that combines hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties. This is usually fairly large molecule, with one part of it capable of becoming charged (hydrophilic part) and other other being a long hydrocarbon chain (hydrophobic part). These are also called “head” and “tail” for simplicity. In water, these molecules will form a tiny ball (called micelle) and orient themselves in such a way that “heads” are on the outside and “tails” are inside. While micelles are still forming, “tail” portions can “dissolve” some impurities present in water, like dirt or grease particles/droplets and keep these impurities inside. This is what is happening when you are doing laundry – surfactants in laundry detergent will help dissolve dirt from fabric and carry it away.
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