Page 13 - 81Sulfonation-Sulfation Processing Technology for Anionic Surfactant Manufacture_opt

280 Advances in Chemical Engineering

5.1 Active matter
Increase of active matter in product was proportional to the increase of SO 3/organic liquid
mole ratio as well as the increase of SO 3 percentage in the gas stream. Slope changes
observed with respect to the temperature are probably due to side reactions occurring at
higher temperatures; the formations of undesired matters decrease active matter (Figure 11).

Fig. 11. Impact of the operation conditions on the degree of sulfonation

5.2 Unsulfonated matter
The impact of the experimental factors is initially inverse compared with the effect obtained
with the active matter; however the SO 3/organic liquid mole ratios beyond 1,1 produce an
increase in the quantified unsulfonated matter. This change can be explained by over
sulfonation of reactant and formation of side products. This assumption is consistent with
the effects of temperature on the percentage of non-sulfonated matter (Figure 12).

Fig. 12. Effects of the experimental factors on the unsulfonated matter

Over-sulfonated products do not have the same characteristics of the washing active
substance and therefore are not identified as active matter but yet as free oil (unsulfonated).

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