Polysorbate 20

Polysorbate 20
Polysorbate 20
Names
IUPAC name
Polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monolaurate
Other names
  • Kolliphor PS 20
  • Montanox 20
  • Polysorbate 20
  • PEG(20)sorbitan monolaurate
  • Alkest TW 20
  • Tween 20
  • Kotilen-20
Identifiers
ChemSpider
  • none
ECHA InfoCard 100.105.528 Edit this at Wikidata
E number E432 (thickeners, ...)
RTECS number
  • TR7400000
UNII
Properties
C58H114O26
Molar mass 1226 g/mol
Appearance Clear, yellow to yellow-green viscous liquid.
Density 1.1 g/mL (approximate)
Boiling point > 100 °C (212 °F; 373 K)
Surface tension:
8.04×10−5 M at 21 °C[1]
16.7[1]
Hazards
Occupational safety and health (OHS/OSH):
Main hazards
 Irritant
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)
NFPA 704 four-colored diamondHealth (blue): no hazard codeFlammability 1: Must be pre-heated before ignition can occur. Flash point over 93 °C (200 °F). E.g. canola oilInstability (yellow): no hazard codeSpecial hazards (white): no code
1
Flash point 110 °C (230 °F; 383 K)
Safety data sheet (SDS) External MSDS
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
☒N verify (what is checkY☒N ?)

Polysorbate 20 (common commercial brand names include Kolliphor PS 20,[2] Scattics, Alkest TW 20, Tween 20, and Kotilen-20) is a polysorbate-type nonionic surfactant formed by the ethoxylation of sorbitan monolaurate. Its stability and relative nontoxicity allows it to be used as a detergent and emulsifier in a number of domestic, scientific, and pharmacological applications. As the name implies, the ethoxylation process leaves the molecule with 20 repeat units of polyethylene glycol; in practice these are distributed across 4 different chains, leading to a commercial product containing a range of chemical species.[3]

  1. ^ a b Chunhee Kim; You-Lo Hsieh (2001). "Wetting and absorbency of nonionic surfactant solutions on cotton fabrics". Colloids and Surfaces A. 187: 385–397. doi:10.1016/S0927-7757(01)00653-7.
  2. ^ "Polysorbates and Sorbitan Esters for Pharmaceutical Applications". BASF Pharma. Retrieved 2022-06-10.
  3. ^ Ayorinde FO; Gelain SV; Johnson JH Jr; Wan LW. (2000). "Analysis of some commercial polysorbate formulations using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry". Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry. 14 (22): 2116–2124. Bibcode:2000RCMS...14.2116A. doi:10.1002/1097-0231(20001130)14:22<2116::AID-RCM142>3.0.CO;2-1. PMID 11114018.