Polyethylene glycol PEG-600, with its excellent emulsifying, wetting, dispersing, and solubilizing properties, is widely used in eight major fields including pharmaceuticals, personal care products, metalworking, ceramics, rubber, textiles, papermaking, and pesticides. It is a cross-industry, multifunctional non-ionic polymer adjuvant.
Detailed Description
Polyethylene glycol PEG-600 (CAS: 25322-68-3) is a non-ionic polymer compound, appearing as a colorless to slightly yellow viscous liquid, and as a waxy solid at low temperatures. Its molecular chain contains a large number of ether oxygen groups, which can form hydrogen bonds with water molecules, imparting excellent water solubility, moisturizing properties, and interfacial activity. Additionally, PEG-600 exhibits high tolerance to acids, bases, and hard water, making it widely applicable in complex industrial environments.
In the pharmaceutical industry, PEG-600 is the most widely used, serving as an ointment base, suppository base, pill carrier, and as a solubilizer and suspending agent for injections. Its good biocompatibility and low skin irritation make it an indispensable pharmaceutical excipient. In the personal care sector, PEG-600 primarily utilizes its moisturizing and thickening properties, functioning as a humectant, emulsion stabilizer, and fatting agent in cleansing products, providing long-lasting skin moisturization.
In industrial applications, PEG-600 acts as a lubricant and coolant in metalworking fluids, forming a boundary lubricating film under high temperature and pressure; as an efficient dispersant in ceramics and pigment manufacturing, preventing particle aggregation through entropic repulsion; as an internal lubricant and mold release agent in rubber and plastic processing, improving flowability and demolding; and as a leveling agent and defoamer in coatings and inks. Furthermore, it is used as an antistatic agent, softener, and leveling agent in textile dyeing and printing, for felt cleaning in papermaking, and as an emulsifying dispersant and penetration enhancer in pesticide formulations.
Application Recommendations
- Pharmaceutical Preparations: When used as an ointment base, it is recommended to adjust the compounding ratio of PEG-600 and PEG-4000 according to drug release characteristics to achieve suitable consistency. When used as a solubilizer for injections, the dosage must be strictly controlled, and the risk of hemolysis should be evaluated.
- Personal Care Products: The recommended addition amount in lotions and creams is 2% to 8%, which can effectively improve system stability and skin feel. As a fatting agent in shampoos and shower gels, the recommended dosage is 1% to 3%.
- Metalworking Fluids: As a lubricating and cooling additive, the recommended addition amount is 5% to 15%, utilizing its inverse solubility to form a protective film at processing hot spots while ensuring cooling effects.
- Ceramic Slurry Dispersion: Adding 0.5% to 2% by weight of powder can significantly reduce slurry viscosity, increase solid content, and improve flowability.
- Textile Leveling: Adding 1 to 3 g\/L in the dye bath can slow down the dye uptake rate, preventing color spots and uneven dyeing.
- Pesticide Formulations: When used as an emulsifying dispersant, the recommended dosage is 3% to 8% of the total formulation, and better results are achieved when combined with other surfactants.
Precautions
- PEG-600 has strong hygroscopicity; the container must be kept sealed during storage, and it is recommended to store in a cool, dry, and well-ventilated warehouse at a temperature not exceeding 40°C.
- Although this product is non-irritating to the skin, it may cause mild eye irritation. It is recommended to wear chemical safety goggles and protective gloves during operation.
- This product is flammable and should be kept away from fire and heat sources. It must be stored separately from strong oxidizing agents (such as peroxides, hypochlorites, permanganates).
- For pharmaceutical applications, specifications that meet pharmaceutical excipient standards (such as the Chinese Pharmacopoeia) must be selected; industrial-grade products should not be directly used in pharmaceutical preparations.
- When used as a dispersant, it is recommended to determine the optimal addition amount through pre-tests, as excessive use may lead to viscosity rebound of the system.
