Answer to Question #32397 in Physical Chemistry for dora

Question

glycerin must mix with what chemical to have a strong boost of foam or sud?

Answer 1

Glycerin must mix with bases or sodium salts of fatty acids. Because alkali solutions make foam with glycerine. In the soap it works as a SLES - produces a foam and bubbles. Glycerin increases the lifetime of the bubbles, and it makes the bubbles more supple. The glycerin molecules attract water molecules and form weak chemical bonds, the so-called hydrogen bonds. These bonds make it more difficult for the water molecules to leave the surface. One can say that it gets more difficult for the water to evaporate, since the glycerin is pulling the water back into the soap film. For these reasons soap bubbles will generally have a longer life span if they contain glycerin. To make a foam you must take the 100 ml of solution of glycerine (40%) and add 100 ml of solution of NaOH.