Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate is an anionic surfactant used in cosmetic and personal-care formulations primarily for cleansing. It is the disodium salt of 2-sulfododecanoic acid and belongs to the sulfo-fatty-acid family of surfactants. Its INCI name is Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate and its CAS number is 38841-48-4.
The ingredient contains a lauric-acid-derived C12 fatty chain together with a sulfonate group and carboxylate salt functionality. This combination gives the ingredient surface-active characteristics that support cleansing applications.
Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate is relevant to personal-care formulations including shampoos, facial cleansers, body washes, cleansing gels and other rinse-off cosmetic products. Cosmetic ingredient references identify its principal functions as cleansing and surfactant-cleansing.
Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate is the disodium salt of 2-sulfolauric acid, also described chemically as dodecanoic acid, 2-sulfo-, disodium salt.
The name can be understood as follows:
The FDA Global Substance Registration System and PubChem identify CAS 38841-48-4 for this discrete substance.
The CAS, EC number, molecular formula and IUPAC identity are supported by PubChem and FDA/GSRS records.
Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate has the molecular formula C12H22Na2O5S and a molecular weight of approximately 324.35 g/mol. PubChem identifies its IUPAC name as disodium 2-sulfonatododecanoate.
The primary cosmetic function of Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate is cleansing.
Its amphiphilic molecular structure allows it to participate at interfaces between water and oily materials. In a suitable formulation, this surface activity can assist in removing oils, particulate material and other unwanted substances during rinsing.
Potential formulation roles include:
COSMILE Europe specifically lists cleansing and surfactant-cleansing as its cosmetic functions.
Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate contains negatively charged sulfonate and carboxylate functionality associated with sodium counterions.
This ionic structure contributes to its surface-active behavior.
It can be considered in surfactant systems designed for:
The final performance depends on concentration, pH, water quality, co-surfactants and the overall formulation.
Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate can be evaluated in hair-cleansing formulations.
Potential applications include:
When used in shampoo, formulators should evaluate cleansing performance, foam, viscosity, pH, hair feel and compatibility with conditioning ingredients.
The ingredient can be considered for facial cleansing formulations.
Potential applications include:
The overall surfactant system should be optimized according to the intended product characteristics.
Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate may be incorporated into suitable body-cleansing formulations such as:
It may be combined with other surfactants, humectants, conditioning agents and viscosity modifiers.
Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate is relevant to several personal-care cleansing applications.
Potential applications include:
Commercial product examples containing Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate have been reported in shampoo and cleansing-gel categories.
Important parameters to evaluate during formulation development include:
Exact acceptance criteria should be based on the selected commercial grade and approved specification.
Typical development considerations include:
Processing conditions should be established through formulation trials for the actual grade.
Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate is a specialty cosmetic surfactant suitable for evaluation in cleansing and rinse-off formulations.
For commercial procurement, buyers can evaluate:
When sourcing Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate, important procurement considerations include:
For bulk procurement, the required grade and technical specification should be established before purchase.
Important parameters include:
Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate is an anionic surfactant and cleansing ingredient based on a sulfonated lauric-acid structure.
The INCI name is Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate.
The CAS number is 38841-48-4.
The molecular formula is C12H22Na2O5S.
The molecular weight is approximately 324.35 g/mol.
It is also known as Dodecanoic acid, 2-sulfo-, disodium salt.
The documented cosmetic functions are cleansing and surfactant-cleansing.
Yes. It is an anionic surfactant.
Yes. It can be evaluated in suitable shampoo and hair-cleansing formulations.
Yes. It can be incorporated into suitable facial cleansing formulations.
Yes. It can be used in body washes and other rinse-off cleansing products.
No. They are different chemical substances. Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate is a sulfo-fatty-acid disodium salt, whereas Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is a sulfate ester surfactant.
No. They are different ingredients with different chemical structures and CAS numbers.
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Creamy white to pale yellow |