PEG-6 Stearate (SG-6) is a white to slightly yellow waxy solid at room temperature, with a melting point of 32-36°C. It is usually recommended to preheat the whole barrel or portions in an environment of 40-50°C to a molten state before use for precise metering and pipeline transportation. Since it is slightly soluble in water, adding it directly to cold water easily causes agglomeration and uneven dispersion. Generally, it needs to be added to the oil phase or pre-dispersed with water heated above its cloud point (28-32°C).
In cosmetic creams/lotions, SG-6 is usually added to the oil phase and heated together with other oil ingredients to 70-75°C until fully dissolved and uniform; at the same time, the water phase is heated to the same temperature. Then, the oil phase is slowly drawn into the water phase under high-speed homogenization, maintaining the emulsification temperature and stirring for 15-20 minutes to stabilize the system, after which the mixture is cooled while stirring to obtain a fine emulsion. In textile softener applications, the melted SG-6 can be slowly injected into hot water at 50-60°C under stirring to prepare a 5%-20% emulsion stock, which is then diluted to working concentration in the padding mangle of a setting machine and applied to fabrics by padding.
When used in industrial cleaning and metalworking, SG-6 is typically mixed and heated with base oils, rust inhibitors, extreme pressure additives, etc., to form an oil phase concentrate. At the time of use, water is added on-site for self-emulsification to form a stable oil-in-water processing fluid. In pesticide formulations, SG-6 is often compounded with other nonionic/anionic emulsifiers and added directly to the pesticide active ingredient solvent system as a component of the composite emulsifier, exhibiting good storage stability under hot and cold conditions. In the wastepaper deinking process, it is directly added to the pulper along with wastepaper, sodium hydroxide, etc., to detach ink particles by reducing interfacial tension.
| Technical Parameter | Typical Value | Usage Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | White to slightly yellow flake/block solid | Needs to be heated to melt for use |
| Melting Point | 32-36°C | Determines preheating temperature of material |
| HLB Value | 9.7 | Suitable for preparing O/W emulsions |
| Cloud Point (1% aqueous solution) | 28-32°C | Emulsification and dilution water temperature should not be too high |
| pH (1% aqueous solution) | 5.0-7.0 | Mild, nearly neutral, good compatibility |
| Active Content | ≥99% | High purity and efficiency |
| Acid Value | ≤2 mgKOH/g | System stable, low corrosiveness |
| Saponification Value | 100-110 mgKOH/g | Provides emulsifying power basis |
| Solubility | Slightly soluble in water, easily soluble in ethanol and oils | Preferably mixed with oil phase or solvent |