Oleth-3 carboxylic acid

Oleth-3 carboxylic acid (CAS 57635-48-0), also marketed as PEG-3 oleyl ether carboxylic acid, is an ether carboxylate surfactant derived from oleyl alcohol and ethylene oxide.

Where is Oleth-3 carboxylic acid used?

• Personal care: primary or co-surfactant in shampoos, facial cleansers and conditioning formulations
• Home care and industrial cleaning: wetting and soil removal in hard surface cleaners and degreasers
• Textile processing: wetting and scouring agent during fiber preparation and dyeing
• Leather processing: stabilises emulsions in fat-liquoring and finishing
• It combines anionic and nonionic character to deliver emulsification and wetting.

Good to know: Particularly effective in alkaline systems, where ether carboxylates outperform conventional anionics.