Discovering the Surfactant Science Behind Cleaning Your Home with David R. Scheuing

Presenter: David R. Scheuing, Clorox Company
* Find out more at aocs.org/webinar *

Many consumers (and even scientists!) may not care much about the technical complexity of cleaning product formulations. But they do care about and want the results of their cleaning efforts in every room. This year’s Samuel R. Rosen Award recipient, David. R. Scheuing, will connect several major concepts in surfactant science to the formulation of household cleaning products used by consumers daily.

Delivering effective antibacterial performance with popular products like wipes requires understanding the adsorption of germicidal surfactants onto bacteria, and how that adsorption is affected by the presence of other surfactants. Delighting consumers with quick and easy removal of scum and hard water spots means optimizing the formation of mixed micelles. Saving energy by doing the laundry in cold water sounds good but introduces new formulation challenges because the fatty components of the toughest stains will be solids instead of liquids, demanding insights into what happens at the solid oil–surfactant solution interface. In the spirit of the award, a balance of technical breadth and depth and humor should be expected.