Cetoleth-5

Alcohols, C16-18 and C18-unsatd., ethoxylated

Cetoleth-5 is a non-ionic surfactant and it mostly acts as an emulsifier in products. It can be used with other non-ionic excipients and in mixtures with anionic or cationic active agents. It is used in the cosmetics and construction industry and as an ingredient in machining coolants and fire-resistant hydraulic fluids.

Cetoleth-5 – general characteristics

It is a non-ionic surfactant. It belongs to the group of compounds called ethoxylated fatty alcohols. Cetoleth-5 is the name assigned in the international nomenclature system for cosmetic ingredients, INCI. The full chemical name of this substance is: alcohols, C16-18 and C18-unsaturated, ethoxylated. The CAS number of Cetoleth-5 is 9005-04-3. The substance may be produced on the basis of raw materials of natural origin.

Physical and chemical properties of Cetoleth-5:

• a viscous liquid or semi-liquid paste,
• straw yellow to yellow,
• colour on the iodine scale: a maximum of 7 (at the temperature of 50ᵒC),
• a faint odour,
• molar mass: approx. 480 g/mol,
• low solubility in water – it forms clouded solutions or emulsions,
• relatively good solubility in low aliphatic alcohols such as methanol or ethanol,
• good solubility in oils,
• density: approx. 0.95 g/ml (at the temperature of 50ᵒC),
• solidification point: approx. 18ᵒC,
• hydrophile-lipophile balance (HLB): 9.2,
• active in cold water, in acidic or neutral baths and in diluted alkalis.

Industrial application of Cetoleth-5

Cetoleth-5 features the hydrophile-lipophile balance (HLB) of 9.2. Thus it is possible to combine this ingredient effectively with base mineral oils and with rapeseed oil methyl esters to obtain mixtures. This value of the hydrophile-lipophile balance shows poor hydrophilicity of Cetoleth-5 (affinity to the water phase). Cetoelth-5 is a good emulsifier for O/W (oil-in-water) emulsions. Its molecular structure (which is also characteristic for other surfactants – a hydrophilic portion and hydrophobic portion) lowers the surface tension between two immiscible phases and thus allows for the formation of an emulsion.

The very good emulsifying and dispersing properties of Cetoleth-5 are crucial for the possibility to use this compound as an ingredient of cosmetic products. A vast majority of cosmetics have the form of emulsions, because they contain ingredients of different chemical nature that are often immiscible. Cetoleth-5 is a component of products such as hair shampoos and conditions, shower gels, colour cosmetics and sun protection products.

Cetoleth-5 also belongs to ingredients used in machining coolants. Such cooling products are required in many industrial processes because the carry away the heat generated when metal machine parts rub against each other. Cetoleth-5 is also used in fire-resistant hydraulic fluids.

Other applications of Cetoleth-5 include the construction industry (spray insulation foams) and the production of plant protection products, in particular EC, EW and SE formulations.