Question

What is PEG200MO, Polyethylene Glycol 200 Monooleate? What are its main uses?

Answer
2026-06-06 官方文档 PEG200MO,聚乙二醇200单油酸酯

PEG200MO (Polyethylene Glycol 200 Monooleate) is a nonionic surfactant obtained by esterification of polyethylene glycol with natural oleic acid. It appears as a light yellow to yellow viscous liquid, and its core function is to serve as an efficient emulsifier, wetting agent, and dispersant, widely used in personal care, textiles, metalworking, and pesticide formulations.

Detailed Description

PEG200MO, with the full chemical name Polyethylene Glycol 200 Monooleate (alias PEG-4 Oleate, CAS No.: 9004-96-0), belongs to the class of nonionic surfactants. It is produced by esterification of polyethylene glycol (PEG200) with natural oleic acid. Its molecular structure contains a hydrophilic polyoxyethylene chain and a lipophilic oleic acid fatty chain, endowing the product with excellent amphiphilic properties. The product appears as a light yellow to yellow viscous liquid with good fluidity and formulation compatibility.

As a nonionic surfactant, the greatest advantage of PEG200MO lies in its outstanding emulsifying ability — it can effectively reduce the oil-water interfacial tension and form a stable and fine emulsion system, especially suitable for oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion formulations. Additionally, it also exhibits excellent wetting and spreading properties, as well as powder dispersing and suspending capabilities. It maintains stable performance over a wide pH range and under hard water conditions, and can be well compounded with anionic, cationic, and other nonionic surfactants. Based on natural fatty acid sources, the product has low skin irritation and good safety.

Main Uses

Personal Care & Cosmetics: Used as a core emulsifier in formulations of creams, lotions, cleansing oils, body washes, etc., helping to form a delicate and stable emulsion texture, imparting a comfortable skin feel and good moisturizing properties, and facilitating the uniform distribution of active ingredients.

Textile Industry: Applied in spinning oil and leveling agent formulations, effectively reducing fiber friction coefficient, improving fiber spinnability and lubricity, promoting uniform dispersion and slow dyeing of dyes, thereby enhancing textile processing efficiency and fabric quality.

Metalworking Fluids: As a key component of emulsified cutting fluids and rust preventives, providing a stable lubricating emulsion, endowing the working fluid with excellent anti-rust protection, reducing tool wear, and improving machining accuracy and surface finish.

Pesticide Formulations: Used as a crucial adjuvant in emulsion in water (EW) and microemulsion (ME) formulations, helping to uniformly disperse and solubilize pesticide active ingredients, improving dilution stability of the formulation, enhancing wetting and spreading of the spray liquid on plant leaf surfaces, and increasing field efficacy.

Technical Parameters

Parameter ItemSpecification Description
Product NamePEG200MO Polyethylene Glycol 200 Monooleate
CAS No.9004-96-0
AliasesPEG-4 Oleate, Polyoxyethylene (4) Monooleate, PEG-4 Oleate
Product TypeNonionic Surfactant
AppearanceLight yellow to yellow viscous liquid
Ionic TypeNonionic
Emulsion System TypeSuitable for O/W (oil-in-water) emulsions
Open Cup Flash Point>200°C
Acute Oral Toxicity LD₅₀ (Rat)>5000 mg/kg (Low toxicity)
Storage TemperatureRecommended 5°C to 35°C
Shelf LifeAt least 12 months under recommended storage conditions

Application Recommendations

The recommended application of PEG200MO in formulations should be adjusted according to the specific system. In cosmetic creams/lotions, it is typically used as a primary or auxiliary emulsifier; the recommended dosage should be optimized based on the oil phase ratio and desired viscosity of the formulation. In metalworking fluids, it can be compounded with anionic emulsifiers to enhance emulsion stability. In pesticide formulations, as a key emulsifying component for EW (emulsion in water), it is recommended to be used in conjunction with appropriate auxiliary emulsifiers to achieve optimal dilution stability. Due to its nonionic nature, it can be flexibly compounded with various ionic types of surfactants to meet the requirements of multi-component systems.

Precautions

  • The product has certain hygroscopicity. After opening, it should be sealed promptly to avoid prolonged exposure to high humidity environments.
  • It is recommended to wear chemical protective gloves (e.g., nitrile rubber) and safety goggles during operation to avoid prolonged direct skin contact.
  • Avoid storing together with incompatible substances such as strong oxidizers, strong acids, and strong alkalis.
  • Although the product has a flash point >200°C and is not easily flammable, it is still recommended to keep away from open flames and high-temperature heat sources.
  • Store following the "first in, first out" principle to ensure use within the 12-month shelf life.
  • After operation, thoroughly wash hands and exposed skin. Eating, drinking, or smoking is prohibited in the workplace.