3402.41 - Cationic:

This category encompasses organic surface-active agents that are cationic in nature, excluding soap. Cationic surfactants are characterized by having a positively charged hydrophilic head group. This classification includes preparations that exhibit surface-active properties and are intended for use as washing, cleaning, or auxiliary washing agents, provided they are not classified under heading 3401. The key defining characteristic for inclusion here is the positive charge on the active surfactant molecule.

This specific HTS code (3402.41) is distinct from its siblings, 3402.42 and 3402.49, which cover non-ionic and other types of organic surface-active agents, respectively. The fundamental difference lies in the ionic charge of the surface-active agent. While this category focuses on positively charged molecules, non-ionic surfactants have no net electrical charge on their hydrophilic portion, and the "other" category captures any remaining types not specifically defined as anionic, cationic, or non-ionic.

Within this classification, further distinctions are made based on the chemical structure of the cationic surface-active agents. The subcategories, 3402.41.10.00 and 3402.41.90.00, differentiate between agents that are aromatic or modified aromatic in their structure and all other types of cationic surface-active agents. This breakdown allows for more precise classification based on the underlying chemical composition and potential applications of these positively charged cleaning and washing agents.