| abstract |
A highly effective surfactant mixture which is liquid at room temperature comprising: (1) from 50 to 84 DEG C. by weight ether alcohol corresponding to the general formula R1-O-[PO]0-3[EO]6-8H, (2) from 10 to 40% by weight ether alcohol corresponding to the formula R2-O-[PO]0-3[EO]3-6H, (3) from 0 to 10% by weight ethoxylation products of polyols which may be obtained by reaction of C12-C18 1,2-epoxides with ethylene glycol, glycerol, trimethylol propane or neopentyl glycol, (4) from 0.1 to 10% by weith of an amino alcohol selected from (A) R3-[EO]0-4N(CH2CH2OH)2, or R3-[EO]0-4NH-CH2CHOH (B) the reaction product of C12-C18 1,2-epoxide with mono- or diethanolamine, (C) reaction product of epoxidized oleyl or linoleyl alcohol with mono- or diethanolamine or (D) reaction product of compound (A), (B) or (C) with from 2 to 12 times the molar quantity of ethylene oxide, and (5) lower carboxylic acids in the quantity required to adjust a 1% aqueous solution to a neutral pH-value; wherein R1 is a C9-C11 alkyl group, R2 is a C12-C15 alkyl group, R3 is a C12-C18 alkyl or alkenyl group, (EO) are ring-opened ethylene oxide residues and (PO) are ring-opened propylene oxide residues. |