According to the technical data from Guoli Chemical, the core advantage of Tween T-85 (Polyoxyethylene (20) Sorbitan Trioleate) lies in its **unique molecular structure** — the molecule contains three long-chain oleic acid groups. Compared to monooleate-type Tween products (such as Tween-80), it exhibits stronger **lipophilicity, a lower HLB value, and excellent W/O emulsifying ability**, making it particularly suitable for emulsifying high-oil-content systems.
## Structure Determines Performance Advantages
Tween T-85 is an adduct of sorbitan trioleate and 20 moles of ethylene oxide. Due to its hydrophobic group containing three oleic acid chains (C18 unsaturated fatty acid), its molecular weight is approximately 1900, much larger than the ordinary Tween series, giving it unique performance characteristics.
## Comparison with Similar Products
| Comparison Item | Tween T-85 | Tween-80 (Monooleate) | Tween-60 (Monostearate) | Tween-20 (Monolaurate) |
|---------|---------|-------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
| HLB Value | **11** | 15.0 | 14.9 | 16.7 |
| Appearance | Light yellow to amber liquid | Yellow oily liquid | Light yellow paste/solid | Yellow oily liquid |
| Lipophilicity | **Strong (trioleate chain)** | Moderate | Moderate to strong | Weak |
| Water Solubility | Dispersible in water | Soluble in water | Soluble in water | Easily soluble in water |
| Surface Tension (0.1%) | ~38 mN/m | ~42 mN/m | ~43 mN/m | ~36 mN/m |
| CMC (25°C) | 0.03 g/L | 0.013 g/L | 0.018 g/L | 0.05 g/L |
| Main Emulsification Type | O/W and W/O dual | Primarily O/W | Primarily O/W | O/W |
## Five Outstanding Advantages of Tween T-85
1. **Stronger Lipophilic Dissolving Ability**
Due to the three oleic acid chains in the molecule, Tween T-85 is highly soluble in oils and organic solvents, providing higher solubilization and emulsification efficiency for oily substances such as mineral oils, vegetable oils, and fatty acid esters. It enables stable formulations with higher oil content in fields like pesticide emulsifiable concentrates, cosmetic makeup removers, and metalworking oils.
2. **Excellent Low-Foaming Property**
Tween T-85 is a low-foaming surfactant, offering significant advantages in processes requiring rapid defoaming or low-foam operation (e.g., metal cutting fluid circulation systems, spray cleaning), reducing operational issues caused by foaming.
3. **Good Acid and Alkali Tolerance**
According to Guoli Chemical data, Tween T-85 exhibits good tolerance to acids, alkalis, and hard water, maintaining emulsification stability over a wide pH range and under complex water quality conditions, outperforming some ionic surfactants.
4. **Broad Formulation Compatibility**
As a nonionic surfactant, Tween T-85 is compatible with various anionic, cationic, and nonionic additives, offering high flexibility in compounding to meet multi-component formulation design needs.
5. **Safe Environmental Properties**
The product is not classified as a hazardous substance, with a flash point >150°C (closed cup), non-flammable liquid, low heavy metal (≤10 mg/kg) and arsenic (≤2 mg/kg) content, meeting food additive (E436) standards, ensuring high application safety in food processing and cosmetics.
## Recommended Dosage Reference
| Application Field | Recommended Dosage (Percentage in Formulation) | Usage Method |
|---------|-------------------|---------|
| Pesticide Emulsifier | 3%-8% | Pre-mix with oil phase |
| Cosmetic Creams/Lotions | 1%-5% | Heat dissolve in oil phase |
| Metal Cutting Fluids | 5%-15% | Pre-mix with base oil |
| Paint Emulsion Polymerization | 1%-3% (based on monomer) | Add to water phase |
| Food Emulsification & Solubilization | 0.1%-1% | Blend with oily ingredients |
| Drilling Fluid Emulsifier | 0.5%-2% | Add directly to circulation system |
## Precautions
- Tween T-85 is hygroscopic; once opened, seal and store promptly. Recommended storage temperature: 5°C–40°C.
- The pour point is below 0°C; it remains liquid at low temperatures for easy use. However, prolonged low-temperature storage in winter may cause cloudiness, which can be restored by warming to room temperature.
- For W/O emulsification, it is recommended to compound with sorbitan ester emulsifiers (e.g., Span-85) to further improve emulsion stability.
- Aqueous dispersions above 5% are unstable. In practical applications, it is advisable not to dilute with water beyond 4%, or use oil-soluble formulations.
