Linear Alkyl Benzene (Esther-LAB)

Linear alkylbenzenes (Aka LABs) are a family of organic compounds with the formula C6H5CnH2n+1. Typically, n lies between 10 and 16, although generally supplied as a tighter cut, such as C12-C15, C12-C13 and C10-C13.

Linear Alkylbenzene (LAB), which is made up of two groups, Alkyl and Benzene, is also known as detergent alkyl. It is an intermediate substance in the petrochemical industry that is obtained from the alkylation of Benzene from paraffin in raw materials. It is used to make Linear Alkylbenzene Sulphonate (LAS), which is used exclusively as a Surfactant in the production of detergents and cleaners. In the following, the production method, characteristics, applications, storage, as well as the dangers of this chemical will be examined.

Production :

Hydrotreated kerosene is a typical feedstock for high purity linear paraffins (n-paraffins), which are subsequently dehydrogenated to linear olefins.

Alternatively, ethylene can be oligomerized (partially polymerized) to produce linear alkenes. The resulting linear mono-olefins react with benzene in the presence of a catalyst to produce the LABs. Hydrogen fluoride (HF) and aluminium chloride (AlCl3) are the two major catalysts for the alkylation of benzene with linear mono-olefins. 

To produce Linear Alkylbenzene, in an improved process, the monulfins react with the Benzene and are catalyzed by hydrogen fluoride, following this step Alkyl Benzene is produced. Next, Aluminum Oxide removes organic fluoride impurities to prevent the release of Hydrofluoric Acid into downstream equipment. The alkylbenzene SO3 sulfonation color is dramatically improved by the use of available Alumina.

Each process generates LAB products with distinct features. Important product characteristics include the bromine index, sulfonatability, amount of 2-phenyl isomers (2-phenylalkane), the tetralin content, amount of non-alkylbenzene components, and the linearity of the product.

The production of n-paraffins often occurs as part of an integrated LAB plant where the producers start from kerosene as raw material. The UOP process for producing normal paraffin includes a kerosene prefractionation unit, a hydrotreating unit and a Molex unit.