Polyethylene glycol PEG-600 (CAS No. 25322-68-3) is a nonionic polymer compound produced by Guoli Chemical, appearing as a colorless to slightly yellow viscous liquid (waxy solid at low temperatures). The ether oxygen groups in its molecular structure endow it with excellent emulsifying, wetting, dispersing, and solubilizing core functions, while also exhibiting high tolerance to acids, bases, and hard water, making it suitable for a wide range of operating conditions.
In the pharmaceutical field, PEG-600 is widely used as an ointment base, suppository base, drop pill carrier, and solubilizer and suspending agent for injections and oral preparations due to its excellent water solubility, suitable viscosity, and low irritation. It effectively improves the dissolution rate and bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs. In personal care products, it achieves efficient moisturization through hydrogen bonding between ether oxygen groups and water molecules, while also acting as an emulsification stabilizer to enhance the strength of the oil-water interfacial film, preventing emulsion stratification and coalescence.
In industrial applications, PEG-600 forms a boundary lubrication film in metalworking fluids to reduce the coefficient of friction, and its inverse solubility provides good cooling effects. In ceramic and pigment slurries, it prevents particle agglomeration through the entropy repulsion effect. In rubber and plastic processing, it functions as both an internal and external lubricant. In coatings and inks, it acts as a leveling agent to eliminate brush marks and orange peel. In textiles, it is used as an antistatic agent, fiber softener, and leveling agent. In agricultural chemicals, it serves as a key emulsifying dispersant and penetration enhancer in pesticide formulations.
| Industry | Specific Process/Use | Functional Role |
|---|---|---|
| Pharmaceuticals | Ointment base, suppository base, drop pill carrier, injection solubilizer, oral preparation suspending agent | Solubilizer, carrier base, suspending agent |
| Personal Care and Cosmetics | Creams and lotions, cleansing products, moisturizing products | Moisturizer, emulsification stabilizer, viscosity regulator, emollient |
| Metalworking | Cutting fluids, grinding fluids, rolling fluids | Lubricant, coolant |
| Ceramics and Pigments | Ceramic slurry preparation, pigment dispersion and grinding | Dispersant |
| Rubber and Plastics | Mixing, extrusion, injection molding, compression molding | Internal lubricant, mold release agent |
| Coatings and Inks | Coating application, ink formulation | Leveling agent, defoamer |
| Textiles | Spinning, weaving, dyeing, finishing | Antistatic agent, softener, leveling agent |
| Papermaking | Papermaking felt cleaning and maintenance | Cleaning auxiliary |
| Agricultural Chemicals | Processing and field application of pesticide formulations such as emulsifiable concentrates, suspension concentrates, and emulsions | Emulsifying dispersant, penetrant, synergist |
Pharmaceutical Applications: When used as an ointment or suppository base, it is recommended to adjust the blending ratio of PEG-600 with PEG-4000 or other molecular weights of PEG based on drug release requirements, to regulate the melting temperature and drug release rate of the base. When used as a solubilizer, it is suggested to melt-mix the drug with PEG-600 first, then slowly add it to the aqueous phase.
Personal Care Products: In cream and lotion formulations, the recommended dosage of PEG-600 is generally 1% to 5% (based on the aqueous phase), which can effectively improve system stability and skin feel. As an emollient in cleansing products like shampoos and body washes, a dosage of 0.5% to 2% is recommended to reduce the tightness caused by surfactants.
Industrial Dispersion Applications: In ceramic slurries, the addition amount of PEG-600 is typically 0.1% to 0.5% of the powder weight. Through ball milling or high-speed dispersion processes, PEG-600 fully adsorbs onto particle surfaces, resulting in stable slurries with high solid content and low viscosity.
Pesticide Formulations: As an emulsifying dispersant, the recommended dosage is 3% to 8% of the total formulation weight. As a tank-mix penetration enhancer for field application, a dilution concentration of 0.05% to 0.1% is recommended, significantly reducing the surface tension of the spray solution and enhancing target wetting and penetration.