I-Surfactant uhlobo lwezinhlanganisela. Ingehlisa ukungezwani okungaphezulu phakathi koketshezi olubili, phakathi kwegesi noketshezi, noma phakathi koketshezi nokuqinile. Ngakho-ke, uhlamvu lwayo luyenza isebenziseke njengezihlanzi, izinto zokumanzisa, izithambisi, izinto ezikhipha amagwebu, nezisakazi.

Ama-surfactants ngokuvamile ama-organic amphiphilic molecules anamaqembu e-hydrophilic kanye ne-hydrophobic, ngokuvamile ama-amphiphilic organic compounds, aqukethe amaqembu e-hydrophobic ("imisila") kanye namaqembu e-hydrophilic ("amakhanda"). Ngakho-ke, ayancibilika kuma-solvents e-organic namanzi.

Ukuhlukaniswa kwe-Surfactant
(1) I-anionic surfactant
(2) I-Cationic surfactant
(3) I-Zwitterionic surfactant
(4) I-Nonionic surfactant