nonionic detergent

Nonionic detergents are synthetic surfactants that produce electrically neutral colloidal particles in solution. Unlike anionic detergents, which have a negative charge, or cationic detergents, which have a positive charge, nonionic detergents are neither.12

These detergents are typically made by reacting compounds with a hydrophobic molecular group, such as an alcohol with a hydroxyl group, with ethylene oxide or propylene oxide. The properties of the detergent are determined by the length of the ethylene oxide chain and the structure of the initial compound. Other nonionic detergents can be formed from fatty acids and organic amines, and these are often used as foam stabilizers in products like shampoos. While some nonionic detergents can cause foaming issues in wastewater, it is generally less severe than with anionic detergents.3