ABSTRACT
For any class of surfactant we would like to define a set of criteria which can be used to differentiate relative performance for a given application. Ideally, the researcher and product formulation chemist draw information from a vast set of available performance data and make logical decisions as to the surfactant or surfactant class to choose for experimentation. In many of these instances, however, the surfactant of interest may not even remotely exhibit the right properties and economic realities for the new system under development. Reasons for the divergence from the “cook-book” ideal may be numerous. Some properties may fall in line with desired performance needs, while others could cause problems in material handling and pricing. Price, while not a topic to be covered in this volume, is a very important property and this aspect alone can often times be the final determinant in the noncommercialization of technically impressive research projects.
