Polyethylene glycol lauryl ether

Polyethylene glycol lauryl ether (CAS 9002-92-0), commercially recognized as Laureth-23, is a nonionic ethoxylated fatty alcohol surfactant derived from lauryl alcohol.

Where is Polyethylene glycol lauryl ether used?

• Personal care, household and industrial formulations: emulsifier, solubilizer and cleansing agent
• Cosmetics and skincare: emulsifies oil-in-water systems in creams, lotions and cleansers, helping stabilize finished formulations at varying pH ranges
• Household and industrial detergents: solubilizes oils and soils from hard surfaces, fabrics and equipment
• Textile processing: scouring and wetting agent, improving dye penetration and fiber preparation during wet processing
• Paper and leather: dispersing agent to control surface treatment uniformity and improve coating adhesion
• Lower EO variants tend to be liquid while higher EO grades such as Laureth-23 are typically solid or semi-solid at room temperature.

Good to know: Standard grades include cosmetic-grade and technical-grade, with cosmetic-grade material commonly meeting Ph. Eur. or USP specifications.

Commercial specifications

• Bulk supply in drums, IBCs and bags depending on physical form