L-62 Poloxamer (Poloxamer 182) is a high-performance nonionic surfactant formed by block copolymerization of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, with an average molecular weight of about 2500. Its unique molecular structure endows the product with three core advantages: excellent low-foaming/foam control properties, strong wetting and penetrating power, and outstanding dispersion and emulsification effects, making it an irreplaceable key component in many foam-sensitive industrial and household formulations.
In the field of Industrial & Institutional Cleaning, L-62 is a core component of rinse aids for automatic dishwashers, effectively reducing the surface tension of rinse water, minimizing water spots and streaks on dishes, and promoting fast, streak-free drying. It also serves as a low-foaming wetting and penetrating agent in hard surface cleaners, aiding in the removal of grease and oil from glass, ceramics, and other surfaces. In Metalworking, it acts as a low-foaming wetting agent and cooling component in cutting and grinding fluids, ensuring machining precision and surface finish.
In Agricultural Chemicals, L-62 functions both as an emulsifier and as a wetting and spreading agent. It stabilizes oily pesticides into oil-in-water emulsions and enhances the spreading ability of the spray liquid on leaf surfaces, significantly improving the utilization efficiency of the active ingredients. Additionally, it is widely used in processes such as polymer emulsion polymerization, coating and pigment dispersion, textile processing, and industrial defoaming/antifoaming.
| Industry | Specific Process/Application | Functional Role |
|---|---|---|
| Industrial Cleaning | Rinse aid for automatic dishwashers | Reduces surface tension, minimizes water spots, promotes rapid drying |
| Hard surface cleaners | Low-foaming wetting and penetration to enhance dirt removal | |
| Industrial defoamers/antifoams | Rapid defoaming, persistent foam suppression (paper, water treatment, cleaning, etc.) | |
| Metalworking | Cutting fluids, grinding fluids | Low-foaming wetting agent, cooling component |
| Agricultural Chemicals | Pesticide emulsification | Stabilizer for oil-in-water emulsions |
| Pesticide wetting and spreading | Enhances leaf surface spreading, improves absorption and utilization | |
| Polymer Industry | Emulsion polymerization | Emulsifier, controls latex particle size |
| Coatings & Pigments | Water-based pigment dispersion | Deagglomerates pigment aggregates, improves color development and storage stability |
| Filler dispersion | Improves dispersion uniformity of fillers in coatings and adhesives | |
| Fermentation Industry | Microbial fermentation defoaming | Controls foam, enhances aeration efficiency and product yield |
| Textile Industry | Leveling, antistatic, softening treatment | Textile processing auxiliaries |
In formulation design, the recommended use concentration of L-62 Poloxamer depends on the specific process: as a rinse aid, typically added at 5% to 30%; as an emulsifier, generally 2% to 10% of the active content; as a defoaming/antifoaming component, it can be added directly or used after pre-dilution. Since the polyoxypropylene segment in its molecule provides hydrophobicity and the polyoxyethylene segment provides hydrophilicity, it exhibits adjustable surface activity at different temperatures. It is recommended to determine the optimal dosage through trials to achieve the desired balance of wetting and foam control.