Alpha Olefin Sulfonate (AOS)

Alpha Olefin Sulfonate (AOS)
$10.00
Item number: 3

Alpha Olefin Sulfonate (AOS) is a surfactant commonly used as a foaming agent and cleaner. It is a frequent ingredient in commercial shampoos, body washes, and laundry detergents  produced by the sulphonation reaction of  water, Sulphur and Alpha Olefins. It is used in industries ranging from home and personal care to polymer, oilfield, and construction chemicals additives.

1. Household, Institutional, and Industrial (HI&I) Cleaning

  • Commercial Car Washes: AOS is the primary ingredient behind the thick, dense "foam blankets" used in automated car washes [AOS]. It suspends dirt, lubricates brushes, and rinses off cleanly without leaving water spots. 
  • Heavy-Duty Degreasers: Because the carbon-sulfur bond resists breaking down in highly alkaline environments, AOS is used in industrial engine and factory floor degreasers.
  • Commercial Laundry Detergents: It removes stubborn grease and oil stains from industrial linens and uniforms, even when washing in cold or hard water. 
  • Manual Dishwashing Liquids: It provides the long-lasting, grease-cutting suds required for commercial restaurant kitchens.

2. Construction and Building Materials

  • Concrete Air-Entraining Agent: AOS is added to concrete mixes to intentionally trap microscopic air bubbles. This improves the concrete's workability, increases its resistance to freeze-thaw cycles, and prevents cracking.
  • Gypsum Wallboard Production: It acts as a foaming agent during the manufacture of drywall. Introducing uniform foam reduces the overall weight of the gypsum board without sacrificing its structural strength.

3. Oil, Gas, and Firefighting

  • Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR): In oil fields, AOS is injected into reservoirs as a foaming agent to help push trapped crude oil out of rock pores. Its extreme heat and chemical tolerance allow it to work deep underground.
  • Firefighting Foams (AFFF): AOS is a critical component in aqueous film-forming foams used to extinguish high-hazard Class B liquid fuel fires (like gasoline or jet fuel). It rapidly blankets the fuel to cut off oxygen.

4. Emulsion Polymerization

  • Plastics and Rubber Manufacturing: AOS serves as an emulsifier in the chemical synthesis of polymers, synthetic rubber, and latex paints. It ensures that the ingredients mix uniformly during the manufacturing process.