Span S-20 lauric acid is a nonionic water-in-oil (W/O) emulsifier produced by esterification of lauric acid with sorbitan, widely used in dozens of industrial fields such as cosmetics, food, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and pesticides.
Product Overview
Span S-20 lauric acid, chemical name Sorbitan Monolaurate, CAS No. 1338-39-2, also known as Span 20. The product appears as a light yellow to amber viscous liquid with a typical aliphatic ester odor. It is a nonionic surfactant refined by esterification reaction from Guoli Chemical.
This product possesses several core characteristics: Excellent emulsifying performance - as a water-in-oil emulsifier, it forms a stable interfacial film at the oil-water interface, producing a fine and stable emulsion system; Excellent compatibility - can be compounded with various anionic, cationic, and nonionic surfactants, significantly enhancing formulation flexibility; Outstanding chemical stability - maintains stable activity in acid, alkali, and hard water media; additionally, it has good wetting, dispersing, and solubilizing effects.
Main Uses
The HLB value of Span S-20 lauric acid is approximately 8.6, classifying it as a lipophilic emulsifier. Its applications cover almost all industrial scenarios requiring oil-water emulsification:
- Cosmetics and Personal Care Products: Used in creams, lotions, sunscreens, and makeup bases, imparting a fine skin feel and good stability to the products.
- Food Industry: As a food-grade emulsifier, applied in baking fats, non-dairy creamers, chocolate coatings, and beverage emulsions to prevent separation, improve texture, and extend shelf life.
- Pharmaceutical Preparations: Exerts emulsifying and solubilizing effects in topical creams, ointments, and suppository bases, improving drug dispersion uniformity and transdermal absorption efficiency.
- Textile Auxiliaries: As an active ingredient in softeners and antistatic agents, helps silicone oils or waxes disperse stably in the aqueous phase, giving fabrics a smooth hand feel.
- Pesticide Formulations: Used as an emulsifying monomer in emulsifiable concentrates and oil-in-water emulsions, compounded with hydrophilic surfactants to ensure spontaneous formation of stable emulsions upon dilution of pesticide active ingredients.
- Coatings and Inks: As a pigment dispersant and wetting agent, reduces pigment particle agglomeration tendency, enhancing color development and storage stability.
- Metalworking Fluids: Plays an emulsifying and lubricating role in cutting fluids, grinding fluids, and rust prevention oils, forming a protective film on metal surfaces to reduce friction and corrosion.
Technical Parameters
| Parameter Item | Parameter Value |
|---|
| Product Name | Span S-20 lauric acid / Span 20 |
| Chemical Name | Sorbitan Monolaurate |
| CAS No. | 1338-39-2 |
| Appearance | Light yellow to amber viscous liquid |
| Ion Type | Nonionic surfactant |
| HLB Value | Approximately 8.6 |
| Emulsion Type | Water-in-oil (W/O) |
| Solubility | Lipophilic, dispersible in oil phase |
Application Suggestions
Span S-20 lauric acid is typically used in combination with hydrophilic surfactants (such as Tween series) to adjust the system HLB value to the desired range. The recommended dosage depends on the specific formulation system, generally 1% to 5% of the oil phase mass. In pesticide emulsifiable concentrates, it is often compounded with hydrophilic emulsifiers in a ratio of 1:1 to 1:3; in cosmetic creams, it is recommended to pair with Tween-60 or Tween-80, with the total amount controlled between 2% and 6% of the formula.
Precautions
- This product is irritating to skin, eyes, and respiratory tract (hazard symbol: Xi). Protective gloves, goggles, and protective clothing should be worn during operation.
- Storage temperature is recommended to be controlled between 5°C and 35°C, avoid freezing or prolonged high temperatures, keep container sealed.
- Store separately from incompatible substances such as strong oxidizers, strong acids, and strong bases; avoid using containers made of copper and its alloys.
- In case of eye contact, immediately flush with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes and seek medical attention.
- Recommended shelf life does not exceed 24 months from the date of production.
