Ingredients --

Xylenesulfonates

Chemical Formula:

Synonyms

Ammonium xylenesulfonate
Sodium xylenesulfonate
sodium dimethylbenzenesulfonate

Description

Sodium xylenesulfonate (or its ammonium cousin) are hydrotropes -- organic compounds that increase the ability of water to dissolve other molecules.

Uses

Xylenesulfonates are used in detergents and shampoos in amounts of up to 10% of the product.

They are surfactants, but they are usually added to thicken a mixture like shampoo, and to help keep some other ingredients in solution. This makes the product clear or transparent, as the cloudy precipitates are put back into solution.