Synthesis and performance test of nanofluidic detergents from palm oil-based primary alkyl sulfates surfactant and zinc oxide

Synthesis of nanofluid detergents from palm oil-based primary alkyl sulfates (palmPAS) surfactant and zinc oxide have been investigated. The detergents were synthesized by dispersing zinc oxide into palmPAS surfactant solution. Its stability and performance were then evaluated. Two performance tests were carried out as stain removal test and stain degradation test. The only difference was the addition of light source in stain degradation test for photocatalytic process. This study shows that palmPAS surfactant increased nanofluid stability to some extent and become relatively stagnant at maximum tested concentration. Detergent from palmPAS surfactant-ZnO has better performance than the one without ZnO nanoparticles. On stain removal test, a palmPAS-ZnO detergent with palmPAS concentration of 0.3% (% w/w) and 0.1% ZnO has a detergency of 66% while for detergent without ZnO only reached 61%. This result is consistent in all tested concentration. At palmPAS concentration of 1.5% and 0.1% ZnO, its performance reached 90% and for the one without ZnO nanoparticles only reached 86%. This increased in performance due, to some extent, to its stability. From stain degradation test, it can be seen that detergent performance can be improved by the aid of a photocatalytic reaction for degrading stains. At palmPAS concentration of 0.3% and 0.1% ZnO, its detergency can be improved up to 82%. While at a palmPAS concentration of 1.5% and 0.1% ZnO, its performance reached 92%.