1 General introduction.- 2 General approach to using surfactants in formulations.- 2.1 Introduction.- 2.2 Systematic approach.- 2.3 Practical formulation.- 2.4 Understanding formulations and end effects.- 2.5 Properties of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups.- 2.5.1 The hydrophilic group.- 2.5.2 The hydrophobic group.- 3 Information sources.- 3.1 Introduction.- 3.2 Manufacturer’s literature.- 3.3 Published books.- 3.4 Journals and periodicals.- 3.5 Patents.- 3.6 Symposia and meetings.- 3.7 Government publications.- 3.8 Data bases.- 4 Use of surfactant theory.- 4.1 Introduction.- 4.2 Adsorption.- 4.3 Micelles.- 4.3.1 CMC and chemical structure.- 4.4 Solubility.- 4.5 Wetting.- 4.6 Dispersing.- 4.6.1 Non-polar solids in water.- 4.6.2 Polar solids in water.- 4.7 F oaming/defoaming.- 4.8 Solubilisation, emulsions, microemulsions and HLB.- 4.8.1 Solubilisation and emulsions.- 4.8.2 Formation of oil in water (O/W) and water in oil (W/O) emulsions.- 4.8.3 Solubilisation.- 4.8.4 Microemulsions.- References.- 5 Surfactants commercially available.- References.- 6 Anionics.- 6.1 Carboxylates.- 6.1.1 Soaps.- 6.1.2 Ethoxy carboxylates.- 6.1.3 Ester carboxylates.- 6.2 Isethionates.- 6.3 Phosphate esters.- 6.4 Sarcosinates.- 6.5 Sulphates (general).- 6.5.1 Alcohol sulphates.- 6.5.2 Alcohol ether sulphates.- 6.5.3 Sulphated alkanolamide ethoxylates.- 6.5.4 Sulphated oils and glycerides.- 6.5.5 Nonyl phenol ether sulphates.- 6.6 Sulphonates (general).- 6.6.1 Ethane sulphonates.- 6.6.2 Paraffin sulphonates.- 6.6.3 Alkyl benzene sulphonates.- 6.6.4 Fatty acid and ester sulphonates.- 6.6.5 Alkyl naphthalene sulphonates.- 6.6.6 Olefin sulphonates.- 6.6.7 Petroleum sulphonates.- 6.7 Sulphosuccinates and sulphosuccinamates.- 6.7.1 Sulphosuccinates.- 6.7.2 Sulphocussinamates.- 6.8 Taurates.- References.- 7 Non-ionics.- 7.1 General introduction.- 7.1.1 The chemistry of ethoxylation.- 7.1.2 General properties of non-ionics.- 7.1.3 Surface active properties of non-ionics.- 7.2 Acetylenic surfactants.- 7.3 Alcohol ethoxylates.- 7.4 Alkanolamides.- 7.5 Amine oxides.- 7.6 Surfactants derived from carbohydrates.- 7.7 Ethoxylated alkanolamides.- 7.8 Ethoxylated long chain amines.- 7.9 Ethylene oxide/propylene oxide (EO/PO) co-polymers.- 7.10 Fatty acid ethoxylates.- 7.11 Sorbitan derivatives.- 7.12 Ethylene glucol, propylene glycol, glycerol and polyglyceryl esters plus their ethoxylated derivates.- 7.13 Alkyl amines and alkyl imidazolines.- 7.14 Ethoxylated oils and facts.- 7.15 Alkyl phenol ethoxylates.- References.- 8 Cationics.- 8.1 Cationics general.- 8.2 Quaternary ammonium.- 8.3 Amine and imidazoline salts.- 9 Amphoterics.- 9.1 Amphoterics general.- 9.2 Betaines.- 9.3 Glycinates and aminopropionates.- 9.4 Imidazoline-based amphoterics.- References.- 10 Speciality surfactants.- 10.1 General.- 10.2 Silicones.- 10.3 Fluorocarbons.- 11 Polymeric surfactants.- Appendices.