Question

What are the main industries and processes where OP-13 Octylphenol Polyoxyethylene Ether is primarily applied?

Answer
2026-05-27 官方文档 OP-13辛基酚聚氧乙烯醚

OP-13 Octylphenol Polyoxyethylene Ether is widely used in eight major industries including industrial cleaning, textile printing and dyeing, pesticide formulations, emulsion polymerization, metalworking, leather, papermaking, and coatings and inks.

Detailed Application Industries and Processes

OP-13 (Octylphenol Polyoxyethylene (13) Ether, CAS No.: 9036-19-5) is a high-performance nonionic surfactant synthesized by condensation of octylphenol with ethylene oxide through a special process. It appears as a light yellow to colorless transparent viscous liquid or paste. With its excellent emulsifying, wetting, penetrating, dispersing, and cleaning properties, it plays a key role in the following industries and processes:

Application IndustrySpecific Process\/UseFunctional Description
Industrial & Household CleaningMetal hard surface cleaning, heavy-duty fabric cleaning, household cleaning productsAs a core component of efficient degreasers, it effectively removes heavy oil and daily stains
Textile Printing & DyeingScouring agent, penetrant, leveling agentImproves wetting and penetration, helps dyes to be evenly applied, reduces color spots, and enhances fabric hand feel and whiteness
Pesticide FormulationsPesticide emulsification auxiliaryStably disperses oil-soluble active ingredients in water to form a uniform emulsion, improving adhesion and biological activity of the spray liquid
Emulsion PolymerizationPolymerization of monomers such as vinyl acetate and acrylatesProvides stable emulsification foundation, precisely controls emulsion particle size, and improves storage stability of polymer emulsions
MetalworkingCutting fluids, grinding fluidsCombines cleaning, lubrication, and anti-rust functions, reducing friction and heat buildup during machining, extending tool life
Leather IndustryDegreasing process of leatherEfficiently and gently removes natural fats and dirt from raw hides, promoting uniform subsequent processes
Papermaking ProcessDeinking of waste paper, wetting and dispersion in paper coatingEnhances wetting and dispersion of pulp fibers, improves paper softness and strength; assists in ink detachment and separation
Coatings & InksPigment wetting and dispersion, substrate wettingPromotes deflocculation and stable dispersion of pigments and fillers, prevents floating and flooding, improves leveling and gloss

Core Functional Advantages

OP-13 exhibits four core characteristics in the above applications: ① Emulsification efficiency – rapidly reduces oil-water interfacial tension to form stable and fine emulsions; ② Wetting & penetration – significantly lowers surface tension, enabling fast and uniform wetting of fibers and hard surfaces; ③ Dispersion & cleaning – excellent suspension and dispersion of solid particles, preventing soil redeposition; ④ Chemical stability – maintains excellent performance over a wide pH range and under high hardness water conditions, with good compatibility with various types of surfactants.

Safety Information

This product is classified as Skin Irritant Category 2, Serious Eye Damage\/Eye Irritation Category 2A, and Toxic to Aquatic Life (Aquatic Acute Toxicity Category 2). Protective gloves and goggles should be worn during handling. Avoid release into the environment. For more safety information, please refer to the Safety Data Sheet (SDS).