The chemical compound known in the INCI system as C12-15 Pareth-7 can be found globally under CAS number 68131-39-5. It is a 7-ethoxylated derivative, structurally derived from C12-C15 fatty alcohol, belonging to a widely used group of chemical compounds – ethoxylated fatty alcohols. It is a non-ionic surfactant that is used in many industries.
Under normal conditions, i.e., at room temperature around 25°C and under atmospheric pressure, C12-15 Pareth-7 is available as a highly turbid liquid or as a solid with the consistency of a soft paste, which tends to delaminate. At an elevated temperature, approx. 40°C, the substance is a clear liquid with colour defined as max. 70 in the Hazen scale, i.e. a slightly yellowish shade. The most common form of the substance results from its high solidification point. C12-15 Pareth-7 begins to solidify at a temperature close to 20oC, making the liquid cloudy and thicker. The hydroxyl value, being a measure of the content of hydroxyl groups (-OH) in the structure, is between 100–114 mgKOH/g. The value typical for emulsifiers, i.e. the hydrophile-lipophile balance (HLB), is 12. This value suggests the predominance of hydrophilic groups in the structure and the tendency of the substance to form oil-in-water emulsions. Therefore, this surfactant has the ability to produce stable formulations, also without the additional use of hydrotropes. In consequence, the solubility of C12-15 Pareth-7 in water is relatively high. The substance has excellent wetting, detergent and degreasing properties, making it a very universal ingredient that removes various types of dirt. The use of C12-15 Pareth-7 is not limited by critical points such as oxidizing and reducing agents. Moreover, the activity of the surfactant is not influenced by the use of cold or hard water as a solvent. The formulation environment, which includes C12-15 Pareth-7, can be acidic, neutral or slightly alkaline without any problems or losses in activity. Due to its non-ionic nature, this chemical compound is compatible with most other surfactants, i.e. anionic and cationic surfactants, as well as with a wide variety of excipients. It has remarkably good wetting properties, as well as moderate foamability, which is a typical feature of the group of ethoxylated fatty alcohols. C12-15 Pareth-7 meets the criteria for biodegradation as defined in the Regulation (EC) No. 648/2004 on detergents, being a highly biodegradable substance.
The primary application of C12-15 Pareth-7, as well as of the entire group of ethoxylated fatty alcohols, is in cleaning formulations. Due to its excellent dispersing and emulsifying properties, the substance can be an active ingredient of various types of chemicals for removing dirt available in any form, such as liquids, capsules or powders. Most commonly, in household chemicals, it is used in washing liquids and powders, detergents for floors and in liquids intended for leather upholstery. However, due to its strong cleaning properties, it is also suitable for industrial and institutional applications, where it is used, among others, in dry cleaning, alkaline formulations for metal materials and for all hard and large surfaces in production plants. Since it is a very good degreaser, it also works well in compositions intended for cleaning cars and other metal surfaces of machines and instruments. C12-15 Pareth-7 can also be found in CIP, i.e. Cleaning In Place, compositions used for automatic cleaning of lumens of pipes, tanks, filters and all related fittings, without the need to significantly disassemble the instrument. Due to its washing and emulsifying properties, C12-15 Pareth-7 is perfect for hair cosmetics, such as shampoos, conditioners and nourishing masks. In the construction industry, it acts as an emulsifier needed in the production of bituminous masses and adhesives, where, among others, it ensures the right consistency of the products.
