The compound with an INCI name of Laureth-9 is a non-ionic surfactant that is widely used in industrial and cosmetics branches. This substance is an excellent raw material and intermediate thanks to its washing, emulsifying, foaming and stabilising properties. It also is well soluble in water and has high detergent properties.
Laureth-9 is a lauryl alcohol ethoxylated with nine moles of ethylene oxide. The CAS number of this compound is 68439-50-9, and Laureth-9 is its name used in the international nomenclature system for cosmetic ingredients, INCI. It belongs to the group of non-ionic surfactants which are based on lauryl alcohol. It has a high affinity to water molecules as well as to other polar compounds. Laureth-9 has been recognized as an ingredient that is safe to use in cosmetic products. Applied to the skin in high concentrations, it shows only a slight irritating effect. The commercial product offered by the PCC Group contains more than 99% of the active substance. It can be successfully used in combination with other non-ionic surfactants as well as with cationic and anionic surfactants.
Properties:
Laureth-9 is an ingredient with extremely effective washing properties. Similarly to other compounds belonging to the surfactant group, its molecule consists of two parts, one hydrophilic and the other hydrophobic. Thanks to its chemical structure, it can penetrate various impurities and effectively remove them from the surface to be cleaned. Laureth-9 is mainly used in cosmetics designed to remove impurities from the surface of the skin and hair, i.e. in shampoos, shower gels or cleansing foams. In cosmetics, it also acts as an O/W (oil-in-water) emulsifier. Emulsifiers are designed to facilitate the mixing of two immiscible phases (usually water and oil) into a homogeneous system called an emulsion. This is possible thanks to, among others, Laureth-9’s ability to reduce interfacial tension between these phases. Emulsions include, for example, lotions, creams or milks. In addition, Laureth-9 is also a very good stabiliser and foaming agent and it improves the quality of the resulting foam. It is particularly effective when mixed with anionic surfactants. Moreover, it is also used for changing rheological properties (viscosity) of the products. This parameter is particularly important, for example, for creams. It is responsible for the appropriate consistency, which not only affects the functional properties but also the shelf life of a cosmetic product.
Other cosmetic products which include Laureth-9 are:
Due to its detergent, wetting and dispersing properties, Laureth-9 is readily used in household chemicals, including, but not limited to, dishwashing liquids, liquid and powder detergents, household and technical cleaners and hand cleaning products. With other (cationic, anionic and non-ionic) surfactants, it exhibits a synergistic cleaning and washing effect.
Laureth-9 is also used in fibre pre-treatment processes. In the textile industry, it is added to formulations designed for removing (mainly mineral) oil stains from fabrics. Laureth-9 is also a component of compositions used for bleaching cotton fabrics.
