Lutensol AT 25 Powder is a nonionic surfactant.
Lutensol AT 25 Powder is an alkylpolyethylene glycol ether made from a linear, saturated C16C18 fatty alcohol.
Lutensol AT 25 Powder is a highly ethoxylated nonionic surfactant derived from linear C₁₂–C₁₄ fatty alcohols that have been reacted with approximately 25 ethylene oxide (EO) units, creating a long polyethylene glycol chain that provides strong hydrophilicity.
CAS Number: 68439-49-6
Molecular Formula: C18H38O
EINECS Number: 939-518-5
Synonyms:68439-49-6, Eumulgin B25, (C16-C18) Alkyl alcohol ethoxylate;AliphaticC16-18-alcohol,ethoxylated;C16-18-Alkylalcohol,ethoxylate;C16-18- lkylalcoholethoxylate, cremophor¨a25, ethoxylatedfattyalcohols(c16-18), CETEARETH-2;CETEARETH-3
Lutensol AT 25 Powder belongs to the class of alcohol ethoxylates (AE) developed for excellent solubilizing and detergency performance, particularly in low-foam, high-efficiency cleaning systems.
Its powder form offers enhanced stability, easier handling, lower spillage risk, and reduced volatility compared to liquid surfactants, making it suitable for detergent powders, tablets, and solid industrial cleaners.
The molecular structure produces a high hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) value, enabling powerful oil emulsification and soil dispersion, even in cold or low-alkaline water environments.
Lutensol AT 25 Powder exhibits broad compatibility with different surfactant classes and additives, allowing it to function as a universal nonionic surfactant in multi-component formulations used across home care, industrial maintenance, polymer chemistry, and agrochemical products.
Lutensol AT 25 Powder is a nonionic surfactant belonging to the group of ethoxylated fatty alcohols, designed to lower surface tension and improve wetting, emulsification, and solubilization in various formulations.
Lutensol AT 25 Powder is typically based on C₁₂–C₁₄ fatty alcohols reacted with approximately 25 moles of ethylene oxide, giving it strong hydrophilic characteristics.
Provided in powder form for easy handling and incorporation into detergent, cleaning, and industrial formulations.
Exhibits excellent compatibility with anionic, cationic, and amphoteric surfactants, enabling use in complex cleaning systems.
Highly effective in cold-water detergency and low-foaming systems, making it suitable for both consumer and industrial cleaning applications.
Has strong solubilizing and emulsifying power for oils, waxes, and hydrophobic substances in aqueous environments.
Lutensol AT 25 Powder is a polyoxyethylene fatty alcohol surfactant classified within high-ethoxylate nonionic surfactants, developed to provide controlled interfacial tension reduction, wetting kinetics, and soil detergency performance across a wide range of pH and electrolyte conditions.
Its long-chain alkyl backbone (C₁₂–C₁₄) supplies efficient hydrophobic anchoring to oily surfaces, while the extended polyether chain enhances solubility, improving detergent action by increasing micelle solubilization capacity.
The ~25 EO units confer a high HLB (Hydrophilic–Lipophilic Balance), positioning it specifically for oil-in-water emulsion stabilization, dispersing poorly soluble compounds and maintaining homogeneous systems during processing.
Boiling point: 330–400 °C (101 kPa)
Density: 0.87 g/cm³ (21 °C)
Vapor pressure: 0–5 Pa (20 °C)
Flash point: 243 °C
Storage temperature: Store at room temperature; keep dry and cool
Solubility: H₂O: 1 g/10 mL, clear, colorless
Form: Crystals
Color: White to off-white
Odor: Mild, waxy (at 100 %)
LogP: 5.91–8.43 (22–25 °C, pH 5.25–7)
Surface tension: 67.5 mN/m (6.6 mg/L, 25 °C)
Lutensol AT 25 Powder is a member of the ethoxylated fatty alcohol surfactant family engineered to provide high detergency, dispersion, and wetting efficiency through its amphiphilic architecture, where a lipophilic alkyl tail interacts with soils while the hydrophilic polyether chain ensures solubility in water.
Due to the high ethoxylation degree (~25 EO units), the molecule has a high cloud point and remains stable in alkaline, high-electrolyte, and oxidative cleaning environments, making it compatible with harsh industrial processing conditions.
Its nonionic nature allows it to be unaffected by water hardness (Ca²⁺/Mg²⁺), unlike anionic surfactants, ensuring consistent performance in hard water and metal-rich systems.
Lutensol AT 25 Powder disperses hydrophobic materials through micelle formation, encapsulating oils/greases and suspending dirt particles to prevent redeposition during washing and processing.
It is valued for low foaming properties, especially important in machine cleaning, CIP (clean-in-place) systems, textile jet machines, and industrial washers where excessive foam disrupts mechanical washing efficiency.
Because of its molecular structure and solid form, it acts both as a primary surfactant and a processing aid, improving powder flow, granulation stability, and product shelf life in solid formulations.
Lutensol AT 25 Powder is engineered through a controlled ethoxylation reaction, where ethylene oxide molecules are added stepwise to a fatty alcohol backbone, resulting in a sophisticated polyoxyethylene chain distribution that determines its surfactant performance profile (solubility, HLB, cloud point).
Its physicochemical behavior is governed by intermolecular hydrogen bonding between polyether chains, creating a balance between hydrophilicity and steric stabilization, which is especially important in high-electrolyte environments where many surfactants lose performance.
The surfactant operates via micellar and interfacial adsorption mechanisms, forming organized nanoscale structures that lower interfacial energy, allowing rapid soil release and wetting even on hydrophobic polymer surfaces and oily particulate matter.
Owing to its solid-state morphology, Lutensol AT 25 Powder demonstrates enhanced thermal stability and transportability, reducing the need for solvents, improving ecological metrics (biodegradable and APEO-free), and enabling direct use in powdered delivery systems without phase separation risks.
At the microscopic interface, it can enhance detergency synergistically with builders (e.g., sodium carbonate), enzymes, and hydrotropes by facilitating substrate accessibility — this synergy underpins its high value in professional cleaning and high-efficiency detergent technology.
The high ethoxylation level makes it suitable for use in foam-sensitive operations, where extreme agitation, jet washing, or recirculation would otherwise cause excessive foam levels and mechanical operational issues.
Lutensol AT 25 Powder is an oil-in-water emulsifier that is used for the production of ointments, creams, liquid emulsions, gels and other cosmetic formulations.
It is supplied in the form of free-flowing, non-dusting micro-granules, and is an efficient protective colloid that can increase the stability of dispersed systems.
This research grade product is intended for use in R&D only.
Due to its structural design, Lutensol AT 25 exhibits exceptionally low critical micelle concentration (CMC), meaning low usage levels achieve effective detergency and wetting — ideal for concentrated formulations and ecological optimization.
It demonstrates thermal and oxidative stability, with resistance to hydrolysis in alkaline and oxidizing detergent conditions, making it suitable for industrial cleaning and high-performance detergent systems.
The granular or powder physical form minimizes the handling challenges associated with viscous liquids, enabling optimized storage stability, dosing accuracy, and blending in solid cleaning products, including automatic dishwashing tablets, laundry powders, and industrial cleaning blocks.
Uses Of Lutensol AT 25 Powder:
Lutensol AT 25 Powder is a polymer used in cosmetics formulations.
An oil-In-water emulsifier that can function in ointment, cream, gel and other cosmetics formulations.
Reagent in liquid crystal nanoparticle formulations as an oral drug delivery system for liver specific distributions.
Widely used in household and industrial detergents (laundry powders, dishwashing tablets, floor cleaners) to provide strong emulsification, wetting, and detergency performance.
Applied in textile processing — scouring, dyeing, and pre-treatment — to remove oils, waxes, and impurities from fibers and enhance dye penetration.
Utilized in emulsion polymerization as a nonionic emulsifier to stabilize polymer latex particles (e.g., acrylic, styrene-butadiene latexes).
Employed in agrochemical formulations (herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers) to improve wetting, spreading, and dispersion of active substances on plant surfaces.
Used in metal cleaning and degreasing applications to remove oily contamination from automotive, machining, and maintenance components.
Incorporated into automotive and industrial washing fluids for low-foam, high-efficiency cleaning.
Applied in food-grade and beverage equipment cleaning (CIP systems) due to its low foaming profile and high alkaline resistance.
Found in paint, ink, and coating formulations as a wetting agent to ensure proper surface coverage and pigment dispersion.
Used in cosmetics and personal care (selected products) as a solubilizer or mild emulsification aid where heavy foam is undesired.
Included in construction chemicals, such as cement and plaster additives, to improve workability and dispersion of fine solids.
Widely used in household and industrial detergents to improve cleaning performance.
Applied in textile processing for scouring, wetting, and emulsification of oils and processing aids.
Used in emulsion polymerization as a surfactant aid for stable polymer latex formation.
Employed in agrochemical formulations to disperse and wet active ingredients.
Utilized in metal cleaning, automotive, and machine washing fluids to enhance grease removal.
Found in cosmetic and personal care as a solubilizer or emulsification helper in selected applications.
Utilized in industrial parts washing and precision component cleaning, especially where low foam is essential to prevent cavitation or pump interference.
Used as a processing aid in powder detergents and solid cleaning blocks, improving granule flow, cohesion, and uniform dispersion.
Employed in oil field chemicals — drilling muds, well stimulation — to improve wetting of mineral surfaces and dispersion of hydrophobic additives.
Incorporated into paper and pulp manufacturing to assist in deinking, pitch control, and wetting during pulp refining stages.
Applied in leather treatment and hide processing for degreasing and improving penetration of tanning agents.
Utilized in electronic and semiconductor surface cleaning where controlled foam and strong wetting are critical for removing production residues.
Used as a surfactant carrier in solid agrochemical wettable powders (WP) and water-dispersible granules (WDG) to enhance active ingredient distribution.
Employed in adhesive and sealant formulations to control viscosity and improve substrate wetting and bonding uniformity.
Integrated into ceramic slurry preparation to improve dispersion of fine powders and reduce agglomeration.
Applied in polymer compounding to aid pigment dispersion and enhance polymer–filler compatibility.
Lutensol AT 25 Powder included in industrial sanitizing and alkaline foam-wash systems for breweries, dairy, and beverage plants, where foam control is essential.
Safety Profile Of Lutensol AT 25 Powder:
Generally considered low toxicity, but may cause skin and eye irritation upon direct contact due to surfactant action.
Inhalation of fine powder may irritate the respiratory tract — appropriate dust control measures recommended.
Can be harmful to aquatic organisms if released in high concentration; wastewater treatment required.
Lutensol AT 25 Powder combustible as a fine powder — avoid dust clouds and ignition sources during handling.
Considered low acute toxicity, but may cause skin and eye irritation due to surfactant degreasing action if direct contact occurs.
Inhalation of airborne powder may irritate the respiratory tract; dust control or masks are recommended during industrial handling.
As with many organic powders, it can be combustible when dispersed in air — dust cloud explosions are possible under ignition conditions.
May present aquatic toxicity if released in large concentrations due to effects on cellular membranes of aquatic organisms; wastewater treatment and controlled discharge are necessary.
Lutensol AT 25 Powder prolonged repeated exposure on skin may lead to dryness or dermatitis, especially without protective gloves.
Should be stored away from strong oxidizers and ignition sources, in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area to prevent dust accumulation.