Fatty Alcohol Alkoxylate is the sodium salt of salicylic acid produced by a reaction between fatty alcohols and ethylene oxide or propylene oxide. The length of the alkyl chain and the number of alkoxylate groups can be modified to obtain a wide range of products with different properties. The specific properties of a fatty alcohol alkoxylate can be modified by adjusting the length of the fatty alcohol and the degree of alkoxylation. For example, increasing the length of the fatty alcohol increases the hydrophobicity of the surfactant, which can increase its detergent and emulsifying properties. Increasing the degree of alkoxylation increases the hydrophilicity of the surfactant, which can increase its water solubility and its wetting and dispersing properties.

Breakdown of the name and function of the components

• Fatty Alcohol - Refers to alcohols that have a long carbon chain derived from fatty acids. They are typically non-branched and can be both saturated and unsaturated.
• Alkoxylate - Indicates that the fatty alcohol has been treated with alkylene oxides, leading to the formation of a chain of ethoxylate or propoxylate groups.

Description of the raw materials used in production

• Fatty alcohols - These can be of natural or synthetic origin. Natural fatty alcohols are derived from oils and fats through a hydrogenation process. Common examples include cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, and oleyl alcohol.
• Alkylene oxides - The most common are ethylene oxide and propylene oxide. Ethylene oxide yields ethoxylate groups, while propylene oxide yields propoxylate groups.
• Catalysts - Used to facilitate the reaction between the fatty alcohol and the alkylene oxide.

The production of Fatty Alcohol Alkoxylates occurs through a process called alcoxylation. Here is a brief summary of the process:

• Choice of fatty alcohol - Fatty alcohol can be of natural origin (e.g. from oils and fats) or synthetic.
• Reaction with alkylene oxide - The fatty alcohol is placed in a reactor with a catalyst, and alkylene oxide is slowly added. This leads to the formation of a chain of ethoxylated or propoxylated groups attached to the fatty alcohol.
• Purification - The product is purified to remove any impurities and obtain the desired alkoxylate with the specified chain length.

What it is used for and where

Fatty Alcohol Alkoxylate is a non-ionic surfactant (removes dirt particles) used in detergents.

It was patented September 3, 1992 in Australia.

Detergents and cleaning products for their ability to remove dirt and stains.

Agrochemical industry - As additives in pesticide and herbicide formulations to improve their effectiveness.

Cosmetics industry - As ingredients in shampoos, bubble baths and other skin care products.

Paper and textile manufacturing - As wetting agents and as emulsifiers in coating and dye formulations.

Safety

Its degree of safety depends on the accuracy of the manufacturer in eliminating ethylene oxide residues. However, it is generally considered a safe ingredient.

Most significant studies

The class of fatty alcohol alkoxylates describes surfactants that are synthesised by reaction of fatty alcohols with alkoxides such as ethylene oxide or propylene oxide or a combination of both as copolymers. Such alkoxylates are used, for example, as nonionic surfactants in home and industrial cleaning and washing agents. Chemical characteristics of such alkoxylate copolymers, for example the degree of alkoxylation, the arrangement of building blocks (random or block polymerisation), the type of the starter, and endcapping, play an important role in application behaviour. The analysis of these characteristics is challenging because in many cases such copolymers have high polydispersity and a large number of constitutional isomers depending on the degree of alkoxylation. Furthermore, the alkoxylates often occur in a complex multicomponent matrix. This study presents a method for characterization of silylated fatty alcohol alkoxylates in the low-molecular-weight range by means of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with electron impact and chemical ionisation. This method also enables detailed analysis of the alkoxylates in a complex matrix such as modern detergents (1).

This study shows that the 10% influence of Fatty Alcohol Alkoxylate on dissolution rate and on the physical state of a drug has been shown to be significant (2).

References__________________________________________________________________

(1) Dück R, Wulf V, Geissler M, Baier HU, Wirtz M, Kling HW, Gäb S, Schmitz OJ. Combination of chemical and electron-impact ionisation with GC x GC-qMS for characterization of fatty alcohol alkoxylate polymers in the low-molecular-weight range up to 700 Da.  Anal Bioanal Chem. 2010 Mar;396(6):2273-83. doi: 10.1007/s00216-009-3434-0. 

Abstract. The class of fatty alcohol alkoxylates describes surfactants that are synthesised by reaction of fatty alcohols with alkoxides such as ethylene oxide or propylene oxide or a combination of both as copolymers. Such alkoxylates are used, for example, as nonionic surfactants in home and industrial cleaning and washing agents. Chemical characteristics of such alkoxylate copolymers, for example the degree of alkoxylation, the arrangement of building blocks (random or block polymerisation), the type of the starter, and endcapping, play an important role in application behaviour. The analysis of these characteristics is challenging because in many cases such copolymers have high polydispersity and a large number of constitutional isomers depending on the degree of alkoxylation. Furthermore, the alkoxylates often occur in a complex multicomponent matrix. Here we present a method for characterization of silylated fatty alcohol alkoxylates in the low-molecular-weight range by means of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with electron impact and chemical ionisation. This method also enables detailed analysis of the alkoxylates in a complex matrix such as modern detergents.

(2) Bley H, Fussnegger B, Bodmeier R.  Characterization and stability of solid dispersions based on PEG/polymer blends.  Int J Pharm. 2010 May 10;390(2):165-73. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2010.01.039. 

Wulf V, Wienand N, Wirtz M, Kling HW, Gäb S, Schmitz OJ. Analysis of special surfactants by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry. J Chromatogr A. 2010 Jan 29;1217(5):749-54. doi: 10.1016/j.chroma.2009.11.093.