Sodium Alpha-Olefin Sulfonate (AOS) CAS 68439-57-6

About Sodium Alpha-Olefin Sulfonate

AOS is made by sulfonating and neutralizing linear alpha olefins, and the commercial article is a mixture of alkene and hydroxyalkane sulfonates centered on a C14 to C16 chain. The result is a workhorse anionic surfactant that wets and emulsifies, lifts oily and particulate soil and builds a dense, stable lather even in hard water, while staying gentler on skin and more readily biodegradable than several traditional sulfonates. The dried high-active powder or needles dose easily into powder and tablet detergents and travel well, while the aqueous liquid or paste suits liquid and paste production. AOS works with anionic, nonionic and amphoteric surfactants and tolerates cationic conditioners and alkaline builders.

Applications

AOS is used wherever strong, stable foam and reliable detergency matter:

• Personal care. Primary or co-surfactant in shampoos, body washes, facial and hand cleansers and foam baths, valued for mildness and a creamy lather.
• Household detergents. Powder and liquid laundry detergents, dish wash liquids and tablets, hand soaps and hard-surface cleaners, including compact and concentrated formulas.
• Institutional and food cleaning. Foaming cleaners for food and dairy sanitation, kitchens and institutional cleaning, plus vehicle and carpet cleaners.
• Industrial and building uses. Emulsion polymerization and textile processing, agrochemical formulations, and an air-entraining and foaming agent in concrete, gypsum and plasterboard.

In concentrated liquid detergents AOS is often paired with a hydrotrope such as sodium xylene sulfonate (SXS) to thin the batch and keep it clear.

Specifications

AOS is anionic and blends with anionic, nonionic and amphoteric actives and most builders, with better-than-usual tolerance of cationic conditioners; the dried form is high-active and free-flowing, while the liquid is ready to pump into paste and liquid lines. Personal-care and detergent lots are released with active content, colour, pH and salts reported on the COA.

Typical profile; active content and limits depend on form and grade, and the batch COA governs.

Packaging and Storage

The dried AOS ships in 25 kg lined paper or woven bags and in bulk bags for volume orders, while the liquid or paste goes in drums and IBCs:

• Keep the powder dry, cool and sealed to avoid moisture pickup and caking.
• Protect the liquid from frost and extreme heat, and reseal partly used drums.
• SDS and COA are supplied with every order, with export packing for bag, drum and IBC shipments.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Powder or liquid AOS, which should I choose?

A: Dried powder suits powder and tablet detergents and export; the liquid or paste suits pumped liquid and paste products.

Q: Is AOS mild enough for shampoos and body wash?

A: Yes, AOS is milder to skin than several traditional sulfonates and gives a creamy, stable lather for shampoos and body wash.

Q: How does AOS differ from LAS or SLES?

A: AOS is milder and hard-water tolerant with dense foam; LAS suits heavy-duty cleaning and SLES is a liquid co-surfactant.