ABSTRACT
Sodium silicate and soda ash were the first detergent builders to be used at the end of the last century. Diphosphate and pentasodium triphosphate were first introduced in the 1930s and 1940s, respectively. They offered better detergency performance and less incrustation on fabrics. In the 1950s and 1960s, sodium tripolyphosphate became the builder of choice.
