Sodium dodecyl sulfate is an emulsifier and whipping aid that has a solubility of 1 g in 10 ml of water. It functions as an emulsifier in egg whites. It is used as a whipping aid in marshmallows and angel food cake mix. It also functions to aid in dissolving fumaric acid.Sodium dodecyl sulfate has excellent detergency, emulsification and foaming power, can be used as detergents and textile auxiliaries, and is also used as an anionic surfactant, toothpaste foaming agent, mine fire extinguishing agents, foaming agents for fire extinguishers, emulsion polymerization emulsifiers, emulsifying and dispersing agents for medical use, shampoo and other cosmetic products, wool detergent, detergent for silky class fine fabrics and flotation agent for metal beneficiation.
GB 2760-96 stipulates as processing aids for food industry. It used as foaming agents; emulsifying agents; and anionic surfactants. It is used for cakes, drinks, proteins, fruits, fruit juice, and edible oil, and so on.
It is used as surfactants, detergents, foaming agents, and wetting agents, and so on.
It is used as relatively low-level ion-pairing reagents, and is cheaper than sodium heptanesulfonate and sodium pentanesulfonate when less demanding.
It is used as raw material for modifying materials.
It is used as additives in capillary electrophoresis analysis and is generally used as molar solution.
It is also used in other analysis such as flow column analysis.