Calcium Thioglycolate Trihydrate

Calcium Thioglycolate Trihydrate (CAS 29820-13-1) is the calcium salt form of thioglycolic acid, supplied in its stable trihydrate form. It functions as a depilatory and keratin-reducing agent. The compound works by breaking disulfide bonds in hair and wool fiber to enable chemical modification or removal. In personal care, it is the active ingredient in depilatory creams and lotions.

It dissolves hair at or below the skin surface without mechanical action. Textile processors use it to chemically modify wool fiber structure, enabling controlled shrink-proofing treatments. This chemical also improves dye uptake uniformity in various textile applications. In leather processing, it supports unhairing and fiber relaxation during beam house operations.

Using this agent helps in reducing reliance on sulfide-based alternatives in industrial settings. Paper and specialty fiber applications use it as a reducing agent for protein-containing substrates. Calcium Thioglycolate Trihydrate is typically supplied as a white to off-white powder or crystalline solid. It is available in cosmetic-grade and technical-grade specifications for formulators.

These grades meet the requirements of personal care formulators and industrial processors respectively. Packaging ranges from small quantities for laboratory use to bulk industrial quantities.