Sodium dodecyl sulfate
Sodium dodecyl sulfate (CH3(CH2)11OSOO3Na), also known as sodium lauryl sulfate or just SDS, is an ionic detergent that is commonly found in household products such as shampoos. The molecule has a tail of 12 carbon atoms, attached to a sulfate group, giving the molecule the amphiphilic properties required of a detergent.The material has industrial use as a detergent, and is a common ingredient of household products such as shampoos.
In laboratories, SDS is commonly used in gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), where its detergent properties help keep the proteins being studied in a denatured state.
