Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate (2EO 70%) - South Korea

Brief Overview

SLES (2EO) 70% is a versatile anionic surfactant widely used in cleaning and personal care products. It offers excellent cleaning properties, stability at low pH, and is known for its superior foaming ability. The chemical structure can be adjusted for diverse applications, making it a popular choice in various formulations.

Manufacturing Process

SLES is produced on the basis of lauryl alcohol (dodecanol), which in turn is obtained from vegetable lauric oils. Laurin oils can be extracted from palm kernel oils or coconut oil. Palm kernel oils account for about 80% of the fatty alcohols and surfactants produced from them, while the remaining 20% are attributed to coconut oil.The manufacturing process is as follows:
- Dodecanol is obtained by hydrogenating the fatty acids and fatty acid esters from palm kernel and coconut oil and then working up the reaction mixture.
- SLES is produced by reacting dodecanol with ethylene oxide. The number of oxyethylene units is usually about 2.
- Sulphur trioxide is then used for sulphation.
- A by-product of this process is 1,4-dioxane, which is harmful to health. The end product with two oxyethylene units, sodium 2-(2-dodecyloxyethoxy)ethyl sulphate, is considered irritating to the skin and eyes.

The following are some of the applications of SLES (2EO) 70%:
- Liquid dishwashing agents
- Light-duty detergents
- Shampoos
- Body washes
- Bubble baths
- Hand cleaners
- Laundry detergents