Cationic surfactants are commonly used in personal care products for their antistatic properties and then inserted into hair conditioners, softeners that, once dissolved in water, ionize to form positively charged ions (cations). They are used in a variety of applications due to their ability to reduce the surface tension between two liquids or a liquid and a solid, which allows them to act as detergents, wetting agents, emulsifiers, foaming agents and dispersants.

Unlike non-ionic surfactants, they have specific antibacterial and disinfectant activities. Such as, for example, Benzalkonium chloride  which however the scientific literature has classified as potential eye irritant and Cetylpyridinium chloride.

Quaternary dialkylamines have been shown to be easily absorbed and therefore less suitable for biodegradation processes under certain conditions while DODMAC (dimethyldioctadecylammonium chloride) with longer chain structures have been banned in several countries.

Cationic surfactants studies