Question

What are the main industries and processes where OP-30 octylphenol polyoxyethylene ether is applied?

Answer

2026-06-06 官方文档 OP-30辛基酚聚氧乙烯醚

OP-30 Octylphenol Polyoxyethylene Ether is widely used in nine major industries including pesticides, textiles, cleaning, metalworking, emulsion polymerization, petroleum, papermaking, leather, and coatings & inks, playing a key role as an efficient emulsifier, wetting penetrant, dispersant, and detergent.

Detailed Description

OP-30 (Octylphenol Polyoxyethylene Ether, CAS No.: 9036-19-5) is a high-performance nonionic surfactant, appearing as a white to light yellow waxy solid or paste. Its molecular structure contains both hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups, endowing the product with excellent emulsifying power, wetting penetration, dispersing and detergent abilities, as well as outstanding chemical stability. It maintains stable performance in high-concentration acid, alkali solutions, and hard water, making it an indispensable multifunctional additive in many industrial formulations.

With its high active content and excellent compatibility, this product can significantly improve the quality and production efficiency of end products. Its core functions cover four main directions: as an emulsifier, it can greatly reduce the oil-water interfacial tension to form highly stable emulsions; as a wetting penetrant, it can quickly reduce the liquid surface tension and penetrate into micro-pores; as a dispersant, it prevents solid particle agglomeration through steric hindrance effects; as a detergent, it efficiently removes various oils and solid particles.

The following details the specific application processes of OP-30 by industry:

Application Fields and Process Details

Industry	Application Process/Stage	Function/Role
Pesticide Formulations	Preparation of emulsifiable concentrates and emulsions of organophosphorus, pyrethroid, and other pesticides	Nonionic emulsifier, enabling automatic dispersion into stable emulsion upon contact with water, ensuring efficacy
Textile Dyeing & Finishing	Desizing, scouring, bleaching, and dyeing of grey fabrics; softening in finishing	Wetting agent, penetrant, leveling agent, promoting uniform penetration of working fluid into fibers
Industrial & Household Cleaning	Degreasing of metal surfaces, hard surface cleaning, formulation of liquid laundry detergents	Utilizes detergency, emulsification, and dispersion to effectively remove oils and solid particles
Metalworking Fluids	Formulation of water-based cutting fluids and grinding fluids	Emulsifier and lubricity component, forming stable microemulsions with base oil for cooling, lubrication, and rust prevention
Emulsion Polymerization	Emulsion polymerization of monomers such as acrylates, styrene-acrylic, etc.	Provides micelle nucleation sites, producing polymer latex with uniform particle size and high stability; key additive for architectural coatings and adhesives
Petroleum Industry	Crude oil dehydration and desalting	Surfactant component in composite demulsifiers, reducing oil-water interfacial film strength to promote droplet coalescence and separation
Papermaking Industry	Deinking of waste paper; felt cleaning; pitch control	Wetting and emulsifying action, detaching and dispersing printing ink from fiber surfaces to improve pulp brightness
Leather Processing	Soaking, degreasing, and other wet processing stages	Wetting penetrant and emulsifier, accelerating hide softening and removing natural fats, resulting in clean and soft leather
Coatings & Inks	Production of latex paints and printing inks	Wetting and dispersing agent, adsorbing on pigment surfaces to prevent flocculation and floating, improving storage stability and color strength

Application Recommendations

The recommended use of OP-30 in formulations should be adjusted according to specific process requirements. The following are general reference suggestions:

Emulsion Polymerization Systems: Recommended dosage is 1%~5% of total monomer weight. Used as a primary emulsifier or in combination with anionic emulsifiers, it can achieve narrower particle size distribution and better latex stability.
Pesticide Emulsifiable Concentrates: Recommended dosage is 5%~15% of total formulation weight. When used synergistically with nonionic/anionic composite systems, it can enhance spontaneous dispersibility and long-term storage stability of the emulsion.
Cleaning Agent Formulations: Recommended dosage is 2%~10% of total formulation weight. When used with alkaline additives and chelating agents, it can significantly improve the removal ability of heavy oil stains.
Metalworking Fluids: Recommended dosage is 10%~20% of the base oil weight, used in combination with rust inhibitors and extreme pressure additives.
Compatibility: OP-30 has good compatibility with anionic, cationic, and other nonionic surfactants, and is also compatible with most inorganic salts and organic solvents, providing great flexibility for formulation design.

Precautions

Health Protection: Harmful if swallowed (H302). Causes skin and eye irritation (H315, H319). Wear chemical safety goggles, chemically resistant protective gloves (e.g., nitrile rubber gloves), and protective clothing during operation. Avoid inhalation of dust or mist.
Environmental Protection: Harmful to aquatic organisms (H402). Do not discharge product or its waste directly into sewers, surface water, or groundwater systems. Disposal should follow local environmental regulations.
Storage Requirements: Store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated warehouse away from fire, heat sources, and direct sunlight. Keep container tightly closed. Avoid high temperatures or freezing to prevent product deterioration.
First Aid Measures: In case of skin contact, wash with plenty of water and soap. In case of eye contact, rinse with flowing water for at least 15 minutes and remove contact lenses. If ingested, do not induce vomiting; seek medical attention immediately. For detailed safety information, refer to the product's complete Safety Data Sheet (SDS).

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