Polyethylene glycol nonylphenyl ether

Polyethylene glycol nonylphenyl ether (CAS 9016-45-9), commercially known as Nonoxynols or by the abbreviation NPE, is a nonionic surfactant used across industrial and institutional cleaning. The ethoxylate chain length varies across grades, allowing formulators to select specific HLB values suited to their process requirements for emulsification and wetting applications.

In textile processing, NPE functions as a scouring and wetting agent, enabling uniform dye penetration and soil removal from fiber substrates during the manufacturing process. Agricultural formulations rely on it as an emulsifier and dispersant in pesticide concentrates, improving active ingredient delivery and tank-mix stability for various crop applications.

Industrial and institutional cleaners use NPE for its degreasing performance on hard surfaces, metal parts, and process equipment in heavy-duty environments. In pulp and paper manufacturing, it supports pitch control and acts as a process wetting agent during sheet formation to ensure high-quality finished paper products.

NPE is supplied as a liquid or paste depending on the degree of ethoxylation, with lower EO grades typically yielding more viscous or solid forms for industrial use. Standard technical grades are the most common supply form for industrial buyers, with concentrations typically expressed by ethylene oxide mole count such as NPE-9 or NPE-10.