Ethoxylation is a chemical process in which ethylene oxide (IUPAC name: 1,2-epoxyethane) is added to fatty acids in order to make them more soluble in water. An example is the ethoxylation of sodium lauryl sulphate to form sodium laureth sulphate, which is used as a foaming agent in shampoos and toothpastes, and as an industrial detergent. The chemical compound ethylene oxide is an important industrial chemical used as an intermediate in the production of ethylene glycol and other chemicals, and as a sterilant for foodstuffs and medical supplies. ... In chemistry, especially biochemistry, a fatty acid is a carboxylic acid (or organic acid), often with a long aliphatic tail (long chains), either saturated or unsaturated. ... Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS or NaDS) (CH3(CH2)11OSO3Na) (FW 288. ... Sodium laureth sulfate (SLES, also SLS), is a detergent and surfactant found in many personal care products (soaps, shampoos, toothpaste etc. ... Look up Shampoo in Wiktionary, the free dictionary A shampoo is a traditional Indian and Persian body massage given after pouring warm water over the body and rubbing it with extracts from herbs. ... Modern toothpaste Toothpaste is a paste used to clean teeth, almost always in conjunction with a toothbrush. ... A detergent is a compound, or a mixture of compounds, intended to assist cleaning. ...

In an industrial ethoxylation plant, the raw material is preheated and fed to a stainless steel reactor, where it is mixed with ethylene oxide and potassium hydroxide (KOH), which acts as the catalyst. The reactor is pressurised with nitrogen to 5 bar and heated to 150°C. In metallurgy, stainless steel is defined[1] as a ferrous alloy with a minimum of 10. ... The chemical compound potassium hydroxide, (KOH) sometimes known as caustic potash, potassa, potash lye, and potassium hydrate, is a metallic base. ... A catalyst (Greek: καταλύτης, catalytÄ“s) is a substance that accelerates the rate (speed) of a chemical reaction without itself being transformed or consumed by the reaction (see also catalysis). ... General Name, Symbol, Number nitrogen, N, 7 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 15, 2, p Appearance colorless Atomic mass 14. ... The bar is a measurement unit of pressure, equal to 1,000,000 dynes per square centimetre (baryes), or 100,000 newtons per square metre (pascals). ...

Many types for "substrate" chemicals may undergo Ethoxylation. Alcohols,Fatty acids,Amines and Phenols to name a few.