I-Surfactant luhlobo lweekhompawundi. Inokuthoba uxinzelelo lomphezulu phakathi kolwelo olubini, phakathi kwerhasi kunye nolwelo, okanye phakathi kolwelo kunye nokuqinileyo. Ke, umlingiswa wayo uyenza ibe luncedo njengezinto zokucoca, ii-agent zokumanzisa, ii-emulsifiers, ii-agent ezikhupha amagwebu, kunye ne-dispersants.

I-surfactants ngokubanzi i-organic amphiphilic molecules kunye namaqela e-hydrophilic kunye ne-hydrophobic, ngokuqhelekileyo i-amphiphilic organic compounds, equlethe amaqela e-hydrophobic ("imisila") kunye namaqela e-hydrophilic ("intloko"). Ke ngoko, ziyanyibilika kwii-solvents eziphilayo kunye namanzi.

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