Subscribers’ Exclusive: Introduction to chemistry course! 

I’m so excited to share with you the new course I’ve created exclusively for the subscribers of this blog! Click here to learn more about the new introduction to chemistry course! Let’s start at the beginning by learning about atoms, ions, and molecules, and by the end of unit 8, you’ll have the basics down!...

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Defining some scientific terms: Contact angle, wetting, refractive index, and specific gravity

Yesterday, we took a look at some concepts we’ll need when discussing silicones, esters, and thickeners for surfactants. Today, let’s take a look at a few more. Contact angle: “The contact angle is defined as the angle the water makes with the surface. In this illustration, a low contact angle (θ<90 ̊) means the surface...

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Welcome to Point of Interest: A science-y place for science-y people who like science

Since we have so many new members to our wonderful little group – hello, and welcome! – I thought I should write some kind of mission statement and code of conduct. This is a science-y place for science-y people who like science. This doesn’t mean you have to have a Ph.D in chemistry to read … Read more

Viscosity!

In these posts on surfactants I’ve been writing recently, I’ve mentioned viscosity quite a lot, so I thought we should take a look at this concept. The easy way to think about viscosity is about the thickness of a fluid. Water has low viscosity while something like glycerin has a higher viscosity. I liked this...

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Question: How can we add a cationic polymer to an anionic product, like shampoo, body wash, or facial cleansers?

I can’t remember who asked it where, but someone asked me: How can we add a positively charged or cationic ingredient like polyquaternium 7 or Honeyquat to a negatively charged or anionic surfactant blend, like a shampoo or body wash? Great question! Let’s recap a bit of the chemistry for a second. (Check out this...

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