Castor Oil Polyoxyethylene Ether EL-12 is a non-ionic surfactant, polymerized from natural castor oil and ethylene oxide. The product appears as a light yellow to yellow transparent oily liquid. From a safety perspective, this product is non-hazardous, with low acute oral toxicity (LD50 > 5000 mg/kg), no skin or eye irritation, and good biodegradability. Under normal use conditions, following general industrial hygiene practices for chemical operations is sufficient to ensure personnel and environmental safety.
During use, special attention should be paid to the impact of the product's physicochemical properties on its efficacy. The HLB value of this product is approximately 6.8, with a cloud point between 50~60°C (1% aqueous solution), meaning its dissolution state may change at higher temperatures. Additionally, as a low-foaming product, it has advantages in formulations requiring foam suppression, but in scenarios where stable foam is needed, it must be combined with other auxiliaries. Formulation design should consider the pH environment of the target system (the product itself has a pH of 5.0~7.0 for a 1% aqueous solution) and ionic compatibility to ensure maximum utilization of its non-ionic properties.
To ensure product quality and operational safety, strictly avoid extreme temperatures (recommended 5~40°C), moisture ingress, and contact with strong oxidizers, strong acids, and strong bases during storage and use. Although the flash point is above 150°C, it should still be kept away from open flames and hot surfaces. Wastewater and waste liquid after use should be treated in the wastewater treatment system to avoid direct discharge into natural water bodies and prevent local eutrophication.
Cosmetics and Personal Care: When used as a solubilizer or emulsifier, it is recommended to complete batching before the liquid phase temperature exceeds its cloud point. Due to its low HLB value, it is more suitable for W/O cream or emulsion systems. The dosage should be adjusted based on the oil phase ratio of the formulation, typically starting optimization from 1%~5%.
Pesticide Formulations: When used in emulsifiable concentrates (EC) or emulsion in water (EW), its excellent hard water resistance and chemical stability ensure spontaneous emulsification during field dilution. It is recommended to use with an appropriate amount of anionic emulsifiers to broaden the emulsification range.
Textile Auxiliaries and Metalworking Fluids: When used as a smoothing agent or lubricant component, note that its low-foaming property is beneficial for high-speed processing. However, if the system requires higher extreme pressure lubrication, it is usually necessary to combine with other extreme pressure additives.
Industrial Cleaning: Utilizing its ability to penetrate and emulsify heavy oils, it can be combined with non-ionic or anionic surfactants in heavy-duty cleaning formulations to enhance the removal of mineral oils, animal and vegetable oils.