Polyether L-61 (Poloxamer 181) plays a key role in multiple industrial fields due to its low foaming, high emulsification efficiency, and excellent dispersing properties. Its molecular structure remains stable in acidic, alkaline, and hard water environments, making it suitable for a variety of complex formulation systems.
In the polyurethane industry, L-61 can be used as a stabilizer and cell regulator for flexible foams to adjust cell structure and prevent collapse. It can also serve as an emulsifying dispersant aid for rigid and semi-rigid foams, promoting the full emulsification of polyols with blowing agents, flame retardants, and other components, thereby enhancing thermal insulation and compressive strength. In the field of defoamers, its bubble-breaking and foam-suppressing capabilities make it a primary active ingredient in defoamers for coatings, adhesives, papermaking, wastewater treatment, and other industries.
In addition, L-61 provides boundary lubrication in water-based metalworking fluids and effectively suppresses foam generated by high-pressure circulating spray. In textile dyeing and finishing, it serves as a low-foaming penetrant and leveling agent to ensure uniform fabric treatment. In pesticide formulations, it acts as an emulsifying dispersant to improve the dilution stability and efficacy of emulsifiable concentrates and suspension concentrates.
| Industry | Specific Application Process | Functional Role |
|---|---|---|
| Flexible Polyurethane Foam | Flexible foam foaming process | Stabilizer, cell regulator, adjusts cell structure, prevents collapse and coalescence |
| Rigid/Semi-rigid Polyurethane Foam | Rigid foam foaming, material emulsification and dispersion | Emulsifying dispersant aid, improves material flowability, enhances closed-cell structure and thermal insulation |
| Industrial Defoamers | Foam control in coatings, adhesives, papermaking, wastewater treatment, etc. | Primary active ingredient in defoamers, quickly breaks bubbles and continuously suppresses foam |
| Water-based Metalworking Fluids | Cutting, grinding, high-pressure spray, and other metalworking processes | Lubrication, anti-foaming, corrosion inhibition auxiliary component |
| Textile Printing and Dyeing | Fabric pretreatment, dyeing processes | Low-foaming penetrant, leveling agent, reduces color difference and foam interference |
| Pesticide Formulations | Emulsifiable concentrates (EC), suspension concentrates (SC), etc., formulation processing and dilution | Emulsifying dispersant, improves dilution stability and efficacy |
In formulation design, the dosage of L-61 should be optimized based on the specific system and process conditions. Due to its low-foaming characteristics, it is particularly suitable for dynamic operation scenarios such as circulating pumping and high-pressure spraying. It has good compatibility with various anionic, cationic, and nonionic additives.