Question

In which industries and processes is PEG400MO, Polyethylene Glycol 400 Monooleate, primarily applied?

Answer
2026-06-06 官方文档 PEG400MO,聚乙二醇400单油酸酯

PEG400MO (Polyethylene Glycol 400 Monooleate) is widely used in seven major industries including cosmetics, textiles, metalworking, agrochemicals, coatings, industrial cleaning, and leather, serving as a highly effective nonionic emulsifier, wetting dispersant, and lubricating component.

Detailed Explanation

Polyethylene Glycol 400 Monooleate (PEG-8 Monooleate) is a high-performance nonionic surfactant, appearing as a light yellow to amber transparent oily liquid. With its unique molecular structure—combining hydrophilic polyethylene glycol chains with lipophilic oleate groups—this product exhibits excellent emulsifying, wetting, dispersing, and lubricating properties in various industrial formulations, making it an indispensable and efficient functional component in many industries.

The core advantages of this product include: high emulsifying capacity, forming stable and fine emulsion systems; outstanding wetting and dispersing ability, quickly reducing interfacial tension; excellent chemical resistance, remaining stable under acidic, alkaline, and hard water conditions; broad compatibility, allowing combination with nonionic, anionic, cationic, and amphoteric surfactants; and safety characteristics with good skin affinity and low irritation. These properties provide great flexibility in formulation design across multiple industries.

Based on real information from the product database, the specific application processes are detailed by industry below.

Detailed Applications in Seven Industries

1. Cosmetics and Personal Care

As a highly effective emulsifier and solubilizer, it is widely used in creams, lotions, shampoos, shower gels, and makeup removers. This product promotes stable mixing of oil and water phases while imparting a moisturizing and smooth skin feel. It also serves as a emollient in formulations, with low skin irritation, suitable for personal care products with high safety requirements.

2. Textile Auxiliaries

Used as a component of emulsifiers, antistatic agents, and softeners in spinning oils and fabric finishing agents. In spinning processes, it effectively improves fiber processing smoothness and reduces static buildup; in finishing processes, it enhances fabric softness and hydrophilicity while providing lubrication and penetration.

3. Metalworking Fluids

As an emulsifier and lubricant additive, it is used in formulating cutting fluids, grinding fluids, and rust preventives. It helps form stable emulsion systems, providing excellent extreme-pressure lubrication and cooling performance, effectively improving machining accuracy, surface quality, and extending tool life.

4. Agrochemical Formulations

As a nonionic emulsifier, it is applied in agrochemical formulations such as emulsifiable concentrates, emulsions in water, and microemulsions. It promotes uniform dispersion and emulsification of active ingredients in water, significantly enhancing the spreading and penetration of spray solutions, improving field application efficacy and bioavailability.

5. Coatings and Inks

Used as a wetting and dispersing agent, it promotes uniform dispersion of pigments and fillers in the system, preventing particle agglomeration and sedimentation, improving liquidity, storage stability, and film gloss of coatings and inks, enhancing system flowability and film uniformity.

6. Industrial Cleaning

As a surfactant component, it is used in industrial cleaning formulations such as metal cleaners and hard surface cleaners. It exhibits excellent emulsifying and stripping ability for mineral oils, animal, and vegetable oils, balancing low foaming and high detergency, suitable for metal degreasing and precision part cleaning.

7. Leather Chemicals

As a key component of fatliquors and softeners, it is used in leather fatliquoring and post-tanning processes. It penetrates deeply into leather fibers, imparting a soft, full, and elastic hand feel to the finished leather, while enhancing tear strength, and providing uniform color in finishing processes.

Technical Parameters

ParameterData
Product NamePolyethylene Glycol 400 Monooleate (PEG-8 Monooleate)
AliasesPEG-8 Monooleate, Polyoxyethylene (8) Monooleate, PEG400 Monooleate
CAS No.9004-96-0
Product TypeNonionic Surfactant
AppearanceLight Yellow to Amber Transparent Oily Liquid
FunctionEmulsifier, Wetting Agent, Dispersant, Lubricant
Flash Point (Closed Cup)Typically >150°C (Non-flammable Liquid)
Acute Oral Toxicity LD₅₀>5,000 mg/kg (Low Toxicity)
Skin IrritationNon-Irritating (PII = 0.0)
CompatibilityCompatible with Anionic, Cationic, Nonionic, and Amphoteric Surfactants

Application Recommendations

In formulation design, PEG400MO is typically used as a core component of emulsifiers and dispersants. The recommended dosage depends on the specific system. In O/W emulsion systems, this product can be used alone or in combination with other emulsifiers to optimize the HLB value. In high-hardness water or acidic/alkaline environments, this product maintains stable surface activity, making it particularly suitable for industrial formulations under complex working conditions. Recommended long-term storage temperature is 5°C to 40°C. Low temperatures may cause product solidification or increased viscosity; mild warming and thorough stirring before use can restore it without affecting product quality.

Precautions

  • Wear safety goggles during operation to prevent accidental splashing into eyes (may cause slight transient discomfort).
  • It is recommended to wear nitrile or neoprene protective gloves and follow good industrial hygiene practices.
  • Avoid contact with strong oxidizers (e.g., peroxides, high-concentration nitric acid, perchlorates, etc.).
  • The product has some hygroscopicity. After opening, reseal the container tightly and avoid exposure to high-humidity environments.
  • Although it has low aquatic toxicity (LC₅₀/EC₅₀ >100 mg/L), prevent large, undiluted spills from entering the ecological environment.