MOA-3 (chemical name: C12-14 fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene (3) ether, CAS No.: 68439-50-9) is a high-purity nonionic surfactant produced by Guoli Chemical, appearing as a colorless to slightly yellow transparent liquid. Because its molecular structure has only 3 ethylene oxide (EO) units, its lipophilicity is significantly stronger than its hydrophilicity, thus it exhibits excellent W/O emulsifying ability—it can efficiently prepare stable water-in-oil emulsions with uniform droplet size and outstanding stability. This is the most notable feature distinguishing it from high-EO AEO products (such as AEO-7 and AEO-9).
In terms of wetting and dispersing properties, MOA-3 can rapidly reduce surface tension (surface tension is only 28–32 mN/m at 25°C), promoting liquid spreading on solid surfaces and uniform dispersion of solid particles. Its penetration power is moderate, meeting the needs of most industrial applications. Its chemical stability is excellent, resistant to acids, alkalis, and hard water, maintaining stable performance in complex formulations, and it has extremely low foam (low-foaming characteristic), making it very suitable for applications requiring rapid defoaming or low-foam operations.
The MOA-3 produced by Guoli Chemical has an active content ≥99%, free alcohol content controlled below 3.0%, moisture ≤1.0%, high product purity, outstanding usage efficiency, and can achieve ideal results with a small dosage, offering excellent economy. The HLB value is approximately 8, belonging to the lipophilic emulsifier category. The cloud point is below 20°C (1% aqueous solution). It disperses in a dispersed state in room-temperature water rather than completely dissolving, and is readily soluble in oils and organic solvents.
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Colorless to slightly yellow transparent liquid |
| Ionic type | Nonionic |
| Molecular formula | C12-14H25-29O(C2H4O)nH, n≈3 |
| Molecular weight | 300~350 |
| Active content | ≥99% |
| Free alcohol | ≤3.0% |
| Moisture | ≤1.0% |
| HLB value | 8 |
| Cloud point (1% aq. solution) | ＜20℃ |
| pH value (1%–5% aq. solution) | 5.0~7.0 |
| Surface tension (25℃) | 28~32 mN/m |
| Critical micelle concentration (CMC, 25℃) | Approx. 8×10⁻⁵ mol/L |
| Hydroxyl value | 160~185 mgKOH/g |
| Acid value | ≤1.0 mgKOH/g |
| Saponification value | ≤1.0 mgKOH/g |
| Iodine value | ≤2 gI₂/100g |
| Density (25℃) | 0.92~0.94 g/cm³ |
| Kinematic viscosity (25℃) | 30~40 mm²/s |
| Refractive index (20℃) | 1.453~1.457 |
| Flash point | ＞150℃ |
| Melting point/pour point | ＜0℃ |
| Solubility | Readily soluble in oil, dispersed state in water |
| Foaming characteristic | Low-foaming |
| Penetration power | Moderate |
| Chemical stability | Stable, resistant to acid, alkali, and hard water |
| Heavy metals | ≤10 mg/kg |
| Arsenic | ≤2 mg/kg |
(The above parameters are all derived from measured data in the Guoli Chemical product database)
Based on the lipophilic properties and excellent W/O emulsifying ability of MOA-3, its main application areas include: