In the poloxamer product sequence of Guoli Chemical, the molecular structure of polyether L-44 (Poloxamer 124) is characterized by its precise EO/PO block ratio — the ratio of ethylene oxide chain segments (a≈12) to propylene oxide chain segments (b≈20) gives it an ideal HLB value range of about 12-16. Compared with the less hydrophilic polyether L-42 (Poloxamer 122) and L-62 (Poloxamer 182) in the same L series, L-44 has superior emulsifying ability and can stabilize a wider variety of oil phase systems; Compared with the more hydrophilic L-64 (Poloxamer 184) and F series, L-44 retains moderate hydrophobicity, allowing it to play an irreplaceable regulatory role in the nucleation and cell refinement process of polyurethane foam systems.
Another outstanding advantage of polyether L-44 is its excellent low-foaming property and rapid defoaming ability. This feature makes it significantly superior to the higher-foaming F series products (such as F-38, F-68) in industrial cleaning (especially high-pressure spray and circulating cleaning processes) and metalworking fluids. In polyurethane foam formulations that also require foam control, L-44 as a foam stabilizer can precisely regulate the cell structure without introducing excessive foam, which is particularly critical in the industrial production of semi-rigid and high-resilience foams.
In addition, polyether L-44, with its excellent chemical stability and multifunctional compatibility, maintains stable performance in acidic, alkaline, and hard water environments, and can be well compounded with anionic, cationic, and other nonionic surfactants. In terms of biosafety, its extremely low skin irritation (PII<0.5) and practically non-toxic acute oral toxicity (LD₅₀>5,000 mg/kg) give it better compliance advantages than many traditional ionic surfactants in fields with high requirements for human and environmental safety, such as personal care products and pesticide formulations.
| Comparison Item | Polyether L-44 (Poloxamer 124) | L-42 (Poloxamer 122) | L-62 (Poloxamer 182) | L-64 (Poloxamer 184) | F-68 (Poloxamer 188) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Colorless to pale yellow transparent liquid | Colorless to pale yellow liquid | Colorless to light yellow transparent liquid | Colorless to pale yellow transparent liquid | White to slightly yellow waxy solid |
| Hydrophilic-Lipophilic Balance (HLB) | About 12-16 (Moderately hydrophilic) | About 7-9 (Lipophilic) | About 7 (Lipophilic) | About 15 (Hydrophilic) | About 29 (Strongly hydrophilic) |
| Low Foam Characteristic | Excellent (low foam volume, rapid defoaming) | Excellent | Excellent | Moderate | Higher foaming |
| Emulsifying Ability | Excellent (suitable for various oil phases) | Moderate (suitable for light oils) | Moderate | Good | Excellent (O/W type emulsification) |
| Effectiveness in Polyurethane Foam | Suitable for soft foam/hard foam/semi-rigid foam | Mainly suitable for low-density foam | Suitable for controlled formulations | Suitable for hydrophilic foams | Suitable for highly absorbent foams |
| Chemical Stability (Acid/Base/Hard Water) | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
| Skin Irritation (PII) | < 0.5 (Non-irritating) | Not available | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| Acute Oral Toxicity LD₅₀ | > 5,000 mg/kg (Practically non-toxic) | Not available | Not available | Not available | Not available |
Note: The HLB comparison of similar products is based on industry common estimates from structural characteristics. Specific parameters for other products are marked as "Not available" due to incomplete data in the database.
Scenarios for priority selection of polyether L-44: