Surfactant Excipient

**Semantic type:** Chemical Viewed Functionally

**Definition:** A surface active agent (surfactant), in dilute solution, moves to the interface of a two-phase system and reduces the surface free energy. This permits the two phases to mix more completely. Surface active agents are usually soluble both in aqueous and non-aqueous solvents. They are exemplified by soap-type molecules (long chain fatty acid salts) such as sodium lauryl sulfate.

**Synonyms:** - Surface Active Excipient - Surfactant