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(1) For clean living
Surfactants are used in products such as soap, detergent, shampoo, hair rinse, softener, anti-static, germicide, etc. that keep your life clean and hygienic. Those may be the most familiar types of surfactant applications. The professional-use soap, detergent, various type of finishing agents used in laundry shops are also surfactants. |
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(2) For good taste and health
Surfactants are playing important roles in making food products such as nicely baked sponge cakes, gentle-to-your-tongue chocolate and ice cream, margarine, shortening, tofu, bread, etc. The materials for surfactants used in food are of natural materials such as sucrose, glycerin, fatty acid, lecithin, and they are stringently checked for safety on the basis of the Food Hygiene Act. Surfactants also play important roles in making health protecting pharmaceutical products such as the dissolvable vitamin made from oil-soluble vitamin, the suppository that melts slowly, the emulsifying/dispersing of ointment that goes on smoothly, etc. |
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(3) For pleasant and happy life
Surfactants are applied on films, developing solution, printing paper, etc. to provide smooth and even coating so that good pictures can be taken. Surfactants are also very necessary for making newspapers that you may read everyday, magazines, or paper. A variety of surfactants are used in the processes from the purging/breaking of wood chips, and to the finishing of paper using the pulp material. Surfactants are also used in inks to allow fine printing. |
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(4) For nice-looking attire
For cloths, which are indispensable from our life, materials such as wool, silk, hemp, and many synthetic fibers are used. To make cloths, a very large number of surfactants are used in the processes such as spinning, scouring, dying and weaving to a textile product. Surfactants are also used in various types of finishing agents to make the fiber crispy, soft or to prevent pills due to static electricity. Surfactants that make cosmetics smooth to the skin and easy to apply are used in the fundamental cosmetics for healthy skin and also for make-up cosmetics for better appearance.
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(1) For pleasant dining
We see colorful vegetables and fruits in the supermarket. Surfactants keep fertilizers, which are indispensable for healthy growth of products from the fields, from sticking and helps penetration into the soil for easy absorption by vegetables. Surfactants are also used in insecticides that keep harmful insects from the products to allow maximum effectiveness from a small amount of substance. In the films for agricultural use in forcing production of vegetables, surfactants are used as an anti-clouding agent to keep the film transparent. |
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(2) Playing important roles in building a nice town
Surfactants are unsung heroes that enhance the virtues of cement. As use of a surfactant improves flowability, the cement concentration can be increased to enhance the strength of the concrete. The foamed concrete, which is used for insulation of heat and/or sound as well as realizing weight reduction, uses the foaming effect of a surfactant. The lightweight plasterboard uses the foaming effect of a surfactant in the same manner. The anti-static agent, that prevents contamination of plastic furniture or living goods from static electricity, is also a type of surfactant. |
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(3) For comfortable driving
Taking an automobile as an example, there are many kinds of surfactants playing important roles. Surfactants are used in many applications such as in the emulsifying dispersant that makes beautiful paints, the lubricity enhancement agent for oils and fluids used in the engine, brake, etc., the anti-static agent for prevention of static electricity on plastic parts, and the parting compound and the vulcanization accelerator used in the manufacturing of tires that keep the automobile firmly on the ground. Surfactants are also involved in the interior material of an automobile in some way or another. |
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(1) To assist in recycling
Old papers such as old newspapers, magazines, copy papers, etc. are actively collected from the various fields for the purpose of efficient use of resource materials. The de-inking process is indispensable in recycling old paper. Surfactants are taking vital roles there. Furthermore, in the paper manufacturing process, the surfactants having flocculating effects are used to enhance the yield rate. |
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(2) To keep air clean
Use of flon that causes disruption of the ozone layer is controlled in most countries in the world. While many alternative cleansing agents that take the place of flon are developed, the surfactant assists in protecting the global environment as one of such alternative materials. In addition to it, the dust preventing agent to remove microscopic dusts suspended in air assists in keeping the work area clean and protecting the health of the people working in the factory or in the work site. |
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(3) To keep ocean clean
When a large amount of crude oil flows out of a big tanker in an accident, it is necessary to prevent dispersion of oil with oil fences and collect oil promptly. Still, the oil not collected stays on the sea surface in the form of thin films, taking a long period of time until decomposed. In such a situation, the oil treatment agent consisting mainly of surfactants, act to the films and make oil into small drops of oil, drastically increasing the surface areas of oil, which enhances the natural power of cleansing and allows decomposing of crude oil in a short period of time. Obviously, the surfactants used for such purposes are as safe as those for food applications for protection of marine resources. |
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(4) To protect from fire accident
A fire-extinguishing agent having surfactants as its principal component is used in the fire extinguishing equipment for oil storage tanks or petro-chemical plants. When fire occurs the chemical agent makes films of foam on the surface of the fire source to shut down air for prompt extinguishing of fire. One of the roles of a surfactant is to protect people from a catastrophic fire accident. |
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(5) Expectations from the needs of maintaining energy sources
In oil production, surfactants are used as an emulsion breaker that makes water and impurity easy to separate from the crude oil drawn out of the oil well. To efficiently draw oil from an old well, surfactants are playing their parts. Surfactants are indispensable for CWM (coal/water dispersing fuel) or COM (coal/petroleum mixed fuel), which are expected as a fuel that makes coal as easy to use as petroleum for conservation of petroleum resources. |
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Greetings 
About surfactant 
