PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION

H.S. CODE

TOXICITY

Sorbitol, Fatty acid

CLASSIFICATION

SURFACTANTS /

PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES

> 100 C 

0.98

2.1

AUTOIGNITION

NFPA RATINGS

REFRACTIVE INDEX

GENERAL DESCRIPTION & APPLICATIONS

Nonionic surfactants are surface active agents which do not dissociate into ions in aqueous solutions, unlike anionic surfactants which have a negative charge and cationic surfactants which have a positive charge in aqueous solution. Nonionic surfactants are more widely used as detergents than ionic surfactants because anionic surfactants are insoluble in many hard water and cationic surfactants are considered to be poor cleaners. In addition to detergency, nonionic surfactants show excellent solvency, low foam properties and chemical stability. It is thought that nonionic surfactants are mild on the skin even at high loadings and long-term exposure. The hydrophilic group of nonionic surfactants is a polymerized alkene oxide (water soluble polyether with 10 to 100 units length typically). They are prepared by polymerization of ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, and butylene oxide in the same molecule. Depending on the ratio and order of oxide addition, together with the number of carbon atoms which vary the chemical and physical properties, nonionic surfactant is used as a wetting agent, a detergent, or an emulsifier. Nonionic surfactants include alcohol ethoxylates, alkylphenol ethoxylates, phenol ethoxylates, amide ethoxylates, glyceride ethoxylates (soya bean oil and caster oil ethoxylates), fatty acid ethoxylates, and fatty amine ethoxylates. Another commercially significant nonionic surfactants are the alkyl glycosides in which the hydrophilic groups are sugars (polysaccharides).

The term sorbitan describes the anhydride form of sorbitol, whose fatty acids are lipophilic whereas sorbitol body is hydrophilic. This bifunctionality in one molecule provides the basic properties useful in cleaners, detergents, polymer additives, and textile industry as emulsifiers, wetting agents, and viscosity modifiers. Sorbitan esters are rather lipophilic (or hydrophobic) surfactants exhibiting low HLB (Hydrophilic-Lipophilic Balance) values; having an affinity for, tending to combine with, or capable of dissolving in lipids (or water-insoluble). While, the ethoxylated sorbitan esters are hydrophilics exhibiting high HLB values; having an affinity for water; readily absorbing or dissolving in water. The type of fatty acid and the mole number of ethylene oxide provides diverse HLB values for proper applications.

HLB numbers describe following characterestics:

<10 : Lipid soluble (or water-insoluble)
>10 : Water Soluble
4-8 : Antifoaming
7-11 : Water-in-oil emulsion
12-16 : Oil-in-water emulsion
11-14 : Good Wetting
12-15 : Good detergency
16-20 : Stabilizing

HLB values of sorbitan compounds are:

APPEARANCE

175 - 190

20kgs in bag

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF SORBITOL

Sorbitol is a white, sweetish, hygroscopic, crystalline sugar alcohol of six-carbon. It is found naturally in various berries and fruits or it is prepared synthetically by high-pressure catalytic hydrogenation of glucose sugar derived from cornstarch. It melts at 93 to 98 C depending on the form. It is used as a a food additive, toothpaste, tobacco, toiletries and in cosmetics. It is used for vitamin-C fermentation. It is also used in the manufactue of polyethers for polyurethanes and surfactants.