Abstract
The effect of poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) on the solubilization behaviors of an anionic surfactant, sodium n-dodecylbezene sulfonate (DBS), toward oil-soluble monoazo dyes and the anti-redeposition behaviors of the surfactant toward carbon black soil has been investigated in aqueous DBS-PEG mixed solutions with 0.05 mol/l of sodium sulfate.
The amount of solubilized dye and the solubilizing power (Sp) increased considerably with an increase in the concentration and weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of PEG. The surfactant concentration at the start of solubilization (Cb) varied in an opposite tendency from Sp. These results are interpreted in terms of DBS-PEG complexes formed by binding between DBS and PEG in water.
The detergency efficiency (D) to the carbon black soil for cotton and nylon fabrics increased with increasing the concentration of PEG. The degree of soil-redeposition (S) on these fabrics showed a reverse tendency from D. Further, it was shown that there is a critical molecular weight level at which the antiredeposition properties of PEG are greatest. It is suggested that PEG is effective as an anti-redeposition agent to carbon black soil/cotton or nylon fabric systems.
