What is Rubailing/O-8? What are its main uses?

Rubailing/O-8 (CAS: 68439-49-6) is a classic nonionic surfactant with C12~14 fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene (8) ether as its core component. It appears as a white to slightly yellow paste or flake, and with its excellent emulsifying, wetting, dispersing, and solubilizing properties, it is widely used in seven major industrial fields including textile printing and dyeing, industrial cleaning, pesticide formulations, and emulsion polymerization.

Detailed Description

Rubailing/O-8 (also known as Emulsifier O-8, C12-14 Alcohol Polyether-8, Polyoxyethylene(8) C12-14 Alkyl Ether) is a nonionic surfactant produced by Haian Guoli Chemical Co., Ltd. The hydrophobic chain of fatty alcohol (C12~14) and the hydrophilic chain of polyoxyethylene (EO=8) in its molecular structure endow the product with an ideal hydrophilic-lipophilic balance value, enabling it to form a stable interfacial film at the oil-water interface and exhibit strong emulsifying and solubilizing capabilities for mineral oils, animal and vegetable oils, and various organic solvents.

This product has excellent chemical stability and good compounding compatibility with anionic, cationic, and amphoteric surfactants. It remains stable in acids, bases, and high-concentration electrolyte solutions, with outstanding hard water resistance and no formation of calcium soap precipitates. Meanwhile, its aqueous solution has a high cloud point, making it suitable for high-temperature processing operations without losing surface activity.

With its balanced performance, Rubailing/O-8 has become a core functional component in many industrial formulations. It can rapidly reduce surface tension, impart good wettability and permeability to the system, and effectively disperse solid particles to prevent secondary aggregation, making it a preferred auxiliary with both "high efficiency" and "broad applicability".

Main Application Fields

The applications of Rubailing/O-8 cover seven major industrial sectors, as detailed below:

• Textile Printing and Dyeing: Used as a pretreatment scouring agent, penetrating agent, and after-dyeing soaping agent for high-temperature scouring, dyeing after-soaping, and dye dispersion of cotton, synthetic fibers, and their blends. It effectively removes natural fiber companions and processing oils, improving fabric whiteness, capillary effect, and level dyeing performance.
• Industrial and Household Cleaning: Suitable for formulations of metal hard surface cleaners for vehicles, kitchens, tiles, etc., as well as heavy-duty oil degreasers and household liquid detergents. It has strong detergency and easy rinsing, with good stability when compounded with various additives.
• Agrochemicals: Used as a pesticide emulsifier and wetting dispersant for formulating emulsifiable concentrates, oil-in-water emulsions, microemulsions, etc. It improves the emulsification and dispersion performance of pesticide technical materials, enhancing dilution stability and the spreading and adhesion of the spray liquid on target surfaces.
• Emulsion Polymerization: Serves as a primary emulsifier or co-emulsifier in emulsion polymerization of acrylates, vinyl acetate, styrene-acrylic systems, etc. It provides stable monomer pre-emulsification and polymer latex, effectively controlling particle size and system viscosity.
• Paper Industry: Applied in waste paper deinking processes to promote the detachment of ink from fiber surfaces and emulsify it, reducing residues and improving pulp brightness. It also imparts good rewettability to paper, enhancing subsequent coating or processing performance.
• Leather Processing: Used in wet processing steps such as soaking and degreasing to accelerate the softening of dry hides and ensure uniform soaking, efficiently removing natural fats, leaving the hide surface clean and grease-free.
• Metalworking Fluids: Acts as a basic emulsifying component in cutting fluids and grinding fluids, as well as an inter-process cleaner, providing lubrication, cooling, and strong degreasing effects, preventing metal rust and keeping workpieces clean.

Technical Parameters Overview

Application Recommendations

Rubailing/O-8 is suitable for various industrial formulation systems requiring efficient emulsification, wetting, and dispersion properties. In textile pretreatment scouring agents, it is recommended to be compounded with anionic surfactants to achieve synergistic effects. In pesticide emulsifiable concentrate formulations, it can be used as the primary emulsifier or compounded with anionic emulsifiers (e.g., calcium salts) to improve the dilution stability of the formulation. In emulsion polymerization systems, the dosage is usually 1% to 4% of the monomer weight, and the specific dosage should be optimized through experiments based on the target particle size and system stability.

Precautions

Safety Warning: This product is a chemical. Hazard categories include Skin Corrosion/Irritation (Category 2), Serious Eye Damage/Irritation (Category 1), Acute Toxicity - Oral (Category 4), and Hazardous to the Aquatic Environment - Chronic Toxicity (Category 3). Harmful if swallowed (H302), causes skin irritation (H315), causes serious eye damage (H318), and is harmful to aquatic life with long-lasting effects (H412).

Operating Protection: When handling, be sure to wear protective gloves, protective clothing, and eye/face protection. Do not eat, drink, or smoke while using the product. Wash skin thoroughly after handling. Do not take contaminated work clothing out of the workplace. In case of contact with eyes, rinse immediately with plenty of running water for at least 15 minutes and seek medical attention promptly. Do not use any neutralizers.

Storage Requirements: Store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated dedicated warehouse. Keep container tightly sealed. Keep away from sources of ignition and heat. Avoid direct sunlight. Storage temperature should not exceed 30°C, and relative humidity should not exceed 75%. Store separately from oxidizing agents, acids, and food chemicals. Prevent release into the environment. Avoid spillage into sewers or waterways.