Questions tagged [surfactants]
Questions about compounds that lower the surface tension (or interfacial tension) between two liquids or between a liquid and a solid.
103 questions
3
votes
3
answers
43k
views
Reaction of soap with water
I've seen it many times... Why does soap become foam-like when it reacts with water (moisture) or when we touch it with wet hands.. What compound actually causes this physical change? And why does ...
user491
8
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Does borax do anything more for "boosting" detergent than adding active oxygen would?
Borax, $\ce{Na2B4O7}$, is often marketed as a "laundry booster" under the brand "20 Mule Team Borax". The unit crystal of borax can be seen below.
Other laundry products in the past have added ...
- 3,005
9
votes
1
answer
4k
views
What's the chemical nature of a dishwasher's rinsing agent?
It seems that a rinsing agent helps the dishes in the dishwasher dry much better than they do without it (which I recently noted on my new dishwasher). What molecules are used in the composition of ...
- 23.9k