RE: SODIUM LAURYL ETHER SALFATE PRODUCTION PILOT PLANT IN UGANDA.

Dear Sir / Madam.

Am pleased to present this proposal for your review. We look forward to partnering with you to provide a technological innovation, research has been made in the country that there is a great need of the raw materials for detergent and cosmetic industries. Among the raw materials we pointed out SLES as a potential raw material to be manufactured in the country. SLES as a raw material has become one of the best and most needed raw material in the cosmetic and detergent industry, where by in the formulation almost 30% in the detergent based products. From research, SLES is being manufactured from industrially grown up countries such as Malaysia, India, far away from the East African countries. Hence a project of establishing a SLES manufacturing pilot plant would be the best project in East Africa.

So on this accord, i would like to ask for your financial help and technological advancement to bring this project to existence. Continuation (next pages) are the detailed research proposal, summarized expected findings, research process and justification of the work.

Thank you so much.

Best regards.

WALAKIRA BRUNO Researcher.

1. ABSTRACT

The project is created to provide innovations that will improve on the production of detergents, body care and hair care products. This project will be valid in the country as one of the raw materials in the cosmetic and detergent industries will be manufactured in the country, this will reduce on the production costs of such products as the cost of SLES will be reduced greatly. Cutting off importation taxes for the importation of the material (SLES) since the material (in this case product) will be manufactured in the country. At large the country has been importing it from already far industrialized countries such as china, India, etc. depending on the assay needed. Time of delivering the material and charged incurred have been the constraint to the retailers and production industries at large, hence optioning for the home made good quality material.

SLES is a one type of detergent, an effective foaming agent. It is commonly used in cosmetic products for cleaning and emulsifying properties. Used in hand wash, liquid soap, shampoo, dish wash liquid soap, face wash etc. Hence availability of market in the country.

2. STATEMENT OF NEED.

From a little research, it shows that in Uganda over 8 companies for detergent and cosmetics arise almost every year, meaning a great need for the raw materials mostly surfactants for the production of the products. For most of the raw materials are just imported from the already industrialized countries, where SLES is one of the major raw material needed. Calling for a high demand of the material. So based on this reason and the objectives as stated below, the project will be valid.

3. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:

There is a big hope that, establishing a SLES manufacturing plant, will provide a ready market for the product, creation of employment opportunities to the massive saving our people from absolute poverty. Tax to the government as the company will be alleged to pay the tax.

Primary and secondary aims for this project are stated below.

Main objectives include:

1. Becoming a main / major supplier of SLES in the country, East African countries and Africa at large.

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I. Providing employment opportunities in the country, in a long run, the company will employ over 500 workers hence kicking out poverty in the country.

II. The government will be earning tax from the company and product manufactured. Beneficial to the country still.

4. PROJECT DESCRIPTION (Chemistry of the project)

SLES is an organic chemical compound with excellent cleansing and foaming properties. For this reason it is an ingredient of various detergents, household products, soaps and shampoos. SLES is usually supplied to the producers of above liquids at a concentration of 70%. Due to its physical properties, this concentrated solution is difficult to handle and must be diluted below 27% before using it in the process. In this research project, the researchers have put emphasis on how SLES can be manufactured here in Uganda, different mechanisms for the production have been optioned out and a better one which sorts in the country, less need of machinery, less pollution, cost efficient, availability of raw materials and other factors considered will be taken to be used.

Suggested production methods are as below:

4.1 Method 1. By ethoxylation of alcohol.

SLES is prepared by ethoxylation of dodecyl alcohol, which is produced industrially from palm kernel oil or coconut oil. The resulting ethoxylate is converted to a half ester of sulfuric acid, which is neutralized by conversion to the sodium salt by use of sodium hydroxide.

But what is ethoxylation of dodecyl alcohol?

Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction in which ethylene oxide adds to a substrate. It is the most widely practiced alkoxylation, which involves the addition of epoxides to substrates.

Industrial ethoxylation is primarily performed upon fatty alcohols in order to generate fatty alcohol ethoxylates (FAE's), which are a common form of nonionic surfactant (e.g. octaethylene glycol monododecyl ether). Such alcohols may be obtained by the hydrogenation of fatty acids from seed oils,or by hydroformylation in the Shell higher olefin process The reaction proceeds by blowing ethylene oxide through the alcohol at 180 °C and under 1-2 bar of pressure, with potassium hydroxide (KOH) serving as a catalyst. The process is highly exothermic (ΔH -92 kJ/mol of ethylene oxide reacted) and requires careful control to avoid a potentially disastrous thermal runaway ROH + n C2H4O → R(OC2H4)nOH

a) Ethoxysulfates.

Ethoxylated fatty alcohols are often converted to the corresponding organosulfates, which can be easily deprotonated to give anionic surfactants such as sodium laureth sulfate. Being salts, ethoxysulfates exhibit good water solubility (high HLB value). The conversion is achieved by treating ethoxylated alcohols with sulfur trioxide. Laboratory scale synthesis may be performed using chlorosulfuric acid:

The resulting sulfate esters are neutralized to give the salt:

Small volumes are neutralized with alkanolamines such as triethanolamine (TEA)

b) Production of ethoxylates.

Industrial production of ethoxylates is realized by a direct reaction of higher alcohols, acids or amines with ethylene oxide in the presence of an alkaline catalyst at a temperature of 120–180 °C (250–360 °F). Modern plants producing ethoxylates are usually based on the BUSS LOOP reactors technology, which is based on a three-stage continuous process. In the first stage, the initiator or catalyst of the reaction and the feedstock are fed into the container, where they are mixed, heated and vacuum dried. Then reaction is carried out in a special insulated reactor in an inert atmosphere (nitrogen) to prevent a possible explosion of ethylene oxide. Finally, the reaction mixture is neutralized, degassed and purified.

4.2 Method 2. SLES from SLS.

Additionally, how do you dissolve SLS powder in water? Dissolve 10 gram of sodium lauryl sulfate (Merck 99%) in 2.0 liter of the degassed water preheated at about 40 °C. Dilute to 4.0 liter with degassed water. Mix carefully in order to prevent the formation of foam. Add sodium sulphate to the mixing drum, industrial salt and paraben as a preservative, all is added as one is stirring.

Formulated reciepe under test.

No R.M quantity

1 Distilled warm water (degassed)

2 liters

2 SLS 10 g

3 Sodium sulphate 8 g

4 Sodium chloride 500 g

5 Paraben (preservative)

5 g

Note: The manufactured SLES as by the formulation can be thickened by adding industrial salt to it. A buffer solution or ph adjuster is added. To obtain the desired ph of the product.

4.3. Adjusting PH of the product.

1. Pour 940g of SLES detergent formulation into a bowl or beaker.

2. Dissolve 10g citric acid in about 50g water and add a little at a time while checking with the pH meter (stir gently each time) until the pH is adjusted to neutral.

At the end of the manufacturing process, a sample product is taken in the laboratory for analysis, quality control parameters such as appearance, ph, active matter, assay and others, are determined to check whether the processed product passes the tests; is of standard.

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5. EXPECTED PRODUCT DESCRIPTION.

a) GENERAL.

 Model NO. SLES 70 for soap

 Appearance Viscous – flowable liquid, slightly yellow.

 Grade Standard Industrial Grade

 Active Matter, % 68-72

 Package 170kgs Drum

 Usage Dishwashing, Detergent, Shampoo, Bubble Bath Washing

 Market Uganda, east African countries, Africa.

 pH Value 7.0-9.5

 Other Name AES, SLES, TIBRO

 Packing 170/220 Kgs or 1000kgs IBC

 Sodium Sulphate 1.5% Max

 Unsulphated Matter 2.5% Max

 Lead Time Within 7 Days

 Storage Dry Cool Place

 Shelf Life 2 Years

 Certificate ISO, US - EAS

 Sample Free of Charge

 Trademark MANDELA ENTERPRISES.

 Transport Package 170kg Drum/1000kg IBC Drum

 Specification SLES 70% - Purity

 Origin Uganda.

b) EXPECTED LAB ANALYSIS.

NOTE: Results are obtained after the analysis and compared with the specifications as per standard.

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