Lauryl polyoxyethylene ether LAE-4 (CAS No.: 9004-81-3) is a fatty acid polyoxyethylene ester nonionic surfactant prepared by the ethoxylation reaction of lauric acid (dodecanoic acid) with 4 moles of ethylene oxide (EO). Its molecular structure can be expressed as: C₁₁H₂₃COO-(CH₂CH₂O)₄-H, that is, the carboxyl group at the terminal of the lauric acid molecule is condensed with four oxyethylene units.
The core active ingredient of this product is polyoxyethylene (4) laurate, which appears as a colorless to pale yellow transparent liquid. Because the molecule contains both a lipophilic long-chain alkyl group (laurate group, C12) and a hydrophilic polyoxyethylene chain segment (4EO), it exhibits excellent emulsifying, solubilizing, wetting, and spreading properties.
As a classic nonionic surfactant product from Guoli Chemical, LAE-4 is resistant to acids, alkalis, and hard water. It shows good compatibility with anionic, cationic, and other nonionic surfactants and can be widely used in various industrial fields such as personal care, textiles, metalworking, and pesticide formulations.
| Parameter item | Specification description |
|---|---|
| Chemical name | Polyoxyethylene (4) laurate (PEG-4 Laurate) |
| CAS No. | 9004-81-3 |
| Aliases | Polyoxyethylene (4) laurate, PEG-4 laurate, Polyoxyethylene (4) monolaurate |
| Product type | Nonionic surfactant |
| Appearance | Colorless to pale yellow transparent liquid |
| Lipophilic group | Lauric acid (C12 fatty acid) |
| EO number | 4 moles of ethylene oxide |
| Ionicity | Nonionic |
Because the EO chain of LAE-4 is relatively short (only 4 units), its hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) value tends to be lipophilic, making it particularly suitable for formulation systems requiring strong emulsifying and solubilizing capabilities. In personal care products, it can be used as an emulsifier and emollient for creams and lotions; in industrial fields, it can be used as an emulsifying and lubricating component in metalworking fluids, an emulsifying dispersant in pesticide formulations, and as a softening and antistatic agent in textiles.