Synthetic detergents are the chemical compounds synthesized in laboratory and possess properties like soaps. These are also surface active agents and possess cleansing capacity like Soaps. These are generally sodium or potassium salts of long chain alkyl benzene sulphonic acids, or long chain alkyl sulphates
Detergent is a water-soluble cleansing agent that combines with impurities and dirt to make them more soluble and differs from soap in not forming a scum with the salts in hard water.
Properties of Detergents:
The concentration at which micelles formation starts is called as critical micelle concentration (CMC).
Aggregation number is the average number of monomers in a micelle.
Relative micelle size is indicated by micelle molecular weight.
The temperature at which the detergent solution is around or above its critical micelle concentration separates into two phases is called the cloud point.
Detergents are more easily soluble in water than soaps.
Disadvantages of Detergents:
Synthetic detergents having branched hydrocarbon chain are not fully biodegradable, i.e., they are not decomposed by micro-organisms in sewage and create water pollution.