Bageltime - 8-10-2013 at 13:55
I'm trying to create a foaming caustic degreaser for kitchen hood systems.. I would like to know if mixing NaOH and SLES would be effective in
accomplishing this.. Also open to other ideas for a different formula..
Metacelsus - 8-10-2013 at 14:00
Mixing the chemicals is safe. Getting the mixture on skin is not.
Welcome to Sciencemadness!
WPK0129 - 8-10-2013 at 14:01
It wouldn't be unsafe. My biggest concern would be the NaOH corroding the surface of the kitchen hood. Try testing the surface with oven cleaner and
see if it has any negative effect.
How do you plan to get the foam?
BobD1001 - 8-10-2013 at 14:07
I would certainly keep the concentration of the NaOH quite low to begin with in order to minimize possible corrosion of the surface. If upon testing
it were too low to properly clean the surface, I would incrementally increase the NaOH concentration until it achieves the desired result. With this
method, it would minimize the concentration of NaOH while maintaining the needed cleaning quality making it (hopefully) safe to use with gloves, and
still effective.
Bageltime - 8-10-2013 at 14:19
Thanx everyone for the speedy response!! And to WPK0129 I figured The Sodium Laureth Sulfate would create the foam.. I currently use NaOH Beads mixed
in hot water and apply it with a hand pump spray bottle.. I wish to achieve the foam by adding the SLES to my current formula and using a foaming
version of my current spray bottle.. I will have to figure the best amount to add to keep my foam wet while maintaining resilient bubbles.. If my foam
was too dry I feel it would be less effective..
chemaddict - 9-10-2013 at 01:08
Well i think if your trying to remove fats and oil you would need a glycol either to remove this much easier. you should properly and 5% ethylene
glycol mono butyl either to your formulae or it would be better if you used a propylene glycol if you say fuck the expense ,but if you are concerned
about the health affect of glycol eithers you could use d limonene which is derived from citrus peals dissolves grease like you would not believe ,but
can be tricky with solubility in heaverly built formulas .
Another thing you need to consider is that the sles is an anionic surfactant which can be disabled by hardness ions ca+mg+
attaching to the negative charge on the surfactant this is why chelating agents are needed like stpp or edta just a couple to name of many edta is
preferred because of its very good solubility.another thing is that the closer a formular is to the cloud point the better.
and in most cases a nonionic surfactant is used in conjuntion with an anionic surfactant and provides emulsification.
hope this gives you some help if you need a formulae just let me no.
thanks chemadic
Bageltime - 10-10-2013 at 08:28
I'm all ears.. I'm a chemistry enthusiast.. Also not a chemist..
If you have a formula in mind that supplies wont be too pricey and processing doesn't require expensive equipment, I'd love to hear it.. I was
considering using a water soluble polymer such as PVA or HEC to increase foam stability and formula viscosity.. But i'm not sure if they would leave a
residue.. I know HEC is an ingredient in Imperial Super Miracle Bubbles..
Bageltime - 10-10-2013 at 15:27
What about Sodium Carbonate, Sodium Hydroxide, and Sodium Laureth Sulfate?
chemaddict - 11-10-2013 at 00:08
Hi Bageltime
What sort of cleaner are you looking for as there is many ,I think you are better of purchasing alkyl benzene sulphonic acid and neutralise it to the
sulphonate by treating it with a base generally sodium hydroxide or triethanolamine to form the surfactant .
this surfactant will act as your base surfactant for at least 50% of products you intend on making ,alkyl benzene sulphonate is widely used in
industry and is the most use anionic surfactant in the world.
neutralising it with 85% triethanolamine will give you a more active surfactant than it would with sodium hydroxide but both work fine,and you don't
need to use polymers to thicken products there are many ways of doing this generally by adding sodium laurel ethoxy sulphate
this thick gunky shit combined with the correct nonionic surfactant will do the job providing you don't use much more than 5% glycol either
the only equipment you would need is a large stainless mixer with a motor mounted on the top ,all i have done with mine is use a stainless boat
propellor.if you are going to make 200 litre of product you would need about a 400 litre tank because of the foam produced.
thanks Chem addict