PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is a brittle and hard vegetable wax. a polyethylene glycol derivative of castor oil. It is used as an emulsifier and surfactant in various cosmetic and personal care products. Its primary function is to help mix water with oils and other ingredients that would not normally blend together.
The name defines the structure of the molecule:
- PEG-40. PEG stands for polyethylene glycol, a polyether compound formed by repeated units of ethylene glycol. "40" is the average number of ethylene glycol units in the polymer chain. PEG are widely used in cosmetics and personal care products for their emulsifying, solubilizing and moisturizing properties.
- Hydrogenated Castor Oil. Castor oil is a vegetable oil obtained from the seeds of the castor plant (Ricinus communis) and produced by the hydrogenation process, which adds hydrogen atoms to the oil to increase its stability and modify its physical properties. Hydrogenated castor oil is often used in cosmetic formulations as an emollient agent, thickener and surfactant.
The synthesis process takes place in several stages:
- Hydrogenation. Castor oil is a vegetable oil obtained by pressing the seeds of the castor plant. The oil is then hydrogenated, which involves the addition of hydrogen (H2) in the presence of a catalyst. This process increases the melting point of the oil, making it a solid at room temperature.
- PEGilation. Hydrogenated castor oil is reacted with ethylene oxide in a process known as pegylation. This process connects polyethylene glycol (PEG) chains to hydrogenated castor oil, increasing its solubility in water and improving its surfactant properties.
So,a combination of synthetic polyethylene glycol (PEG) obtained by catalytic hydrogenation of chemically produced castor oil using an ethoxylation process with a chemical reaction in which ethylene oxide is added to a castor oil substrate. It is mixed through etherification and esterification of hydrogenated castor oil glycerides and fatty acids with forty ethylene oxide units. The number 40 appearing after the abbreviation PEG represents the molecular weight and the higher this number is, the less it penetrates the skin.
Synthetically, it appears as white flakes or an oily transparent liquid. Flammable. Incompatible with strong oxidising agents. Insoluble in water and characteristic smell. It contains 40 mol of ethylene oxide.
What it is used for and where
Hydrogenated castor oil is used in water to solubilise synthetic spices and essential oils by mixing the required solubilising substance in the proportion of 1: 1-3 while stirring until a transparent mixture is achieved.
Cosmetics
Non-ionic surfactant, rheological additive for sunscreens, production and manufacture of various water-based products for washing, make-up, rich in omega fatty acids possesses antifungal and antibacterial activity. It is an emulsifier and moisturiser used in cosmetic formulations for liquid soaps, shampoos, tanning creams and more. Useful in the treatment of dandruff and as a conditioner for dry hair.
Emulsion stabiliser. Emulsions are thermodynamically unstable. Emulsion stabilisers improve the formation and stability of single and double emulsions. as well as their shelf-life. It should be noted that in the structure-function relationship, the molar mass of the ingredient used plays an important role.
Surfactant - Emulsifying agent. Emulsions are thermodynamically unstable and are used to soothe or soften the skin and emulsify, so they need a specific, stabilising ingredient. This ingredient forms a film, lowers the surface tension and makes two immiscible liquids miscible. A very important factor affecting the stability of the emulsion is the amount of the emulsifying agent. Emulsifiers have the property of reducing the oil/water or water/oil interfacial tension, improving the stability of the emulsion and also directly influencing the stability, sensory properties and surface tension of sunscreens by modulating the filmometric performance.
Medical
It is able to partially remove scars produced by acne.
Other uses
It is used in insecticides, water-soluble flavourings, fungicides, coolants, mosquito repellents.
Hydrogenated castor oil is a derivative of castor oil and is obtained by catalytic hydrogenation of castor oil. It significantly reduces the unsaturated double bond in castor oil molecules, so that it decreases the possibility of double bonds inducing yellowing of animal skins used for clothing (1).
An evaluation of the safe use of high concentrations of hydrogenated castor oil (PEG-40) as surfactant for oral nanoemulsion was performed in Webster mice. In particular, considering in vivo data, it is suggested that nanoemulsion composed with a high amount of hydrogenated castor oil PEG-40 is acceptable for the oral delivery of active compounds (2).
It improves the corrosion resistance of carbon steel in simulated fuel ethanol (3).
Used as an adjuvant for coatings.
Provides resistance to failure in thixotropic epoxy mortars and in solvent-based coatings, inks and adhesive systems.
For more information:
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil studies
Typical commercial product characteristics Hydrogenated Castor Oil
| Appearance | Yellowish liquid or white flakes |
| pH | 5.0～7.0 |
| Boiling Point | 872.4±30.0°C at 760 mmHg (liquid) |
| Melting Point | ≥85°C (flakes) |
| Flash Point | 220.1±18.1°C (liquid) |
| Density | 1.0±0.1 g/cm3 |
| Refraction Index | 1.478 |
| Vapor Pressure | 0.0±0.6 mmHg at 25°C |
| LogP | 18.70 |
| Saponification value | 57～67 (liquid) 176-186 mgKOH/g (flakes) |
| HLB | 13～14 (liqiod) |
| Iodine | ≤ 2.5 gl/100g (flakes) 82-92 (liquid) |
| Acid Value | ≤ 2.0 Mg KOH/g (flakes) 175-185(liquid) |
| Particle size | dv98≤20 μm (flakes) |
| Hydroxy Value | ≥ 155 Mg KOH/g (flakes) |
| Water | 0.5% max (liquid) |
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- Molecular Formula C57H110O9 C21H23ClFNO2
- Molecular Weight 939.498
- Exact Mass 938.815002
- CAS 8001-78-3 61788-85-0 (POLYOXYETHYLENE HYDROGENATED CASTOR OIL 60)
- UNII 06YD7896S3
- EC Number 232-292-2
- DSSTox Substance ID DTXSID8027666 DTXSID3051701
- IUPAC 2,3-bis(12-hydroxyoctadecanoyloxy)propyl 12-hydroxyoctadecanoate
- InChl=1S/C57H110O9/c1-4-7-10-31-40-51(58)43-34-25-19-13-16-22-28-37-46-55(61)64-49-54(66-57(63)48-39-30-24-18-15-21-27-36-45-53(60)42-33-12-9-6-3)50-65-56(62)47-38-29-23-17-14-20-26-35-44-52(59)41-32-11-8-5-2/h51-54,58-60H,4-50H2,1-3H3
- InChl Key WCOXQTXVACYMLM-UHFFFAOYSA-N
- SMILES CCCCCCC(CCCCCCCCCCC(=O)OCC(COC(=O)CCCCCCCCCCC(CCCCCC)O)OC(=O)CCCCCCCCCCC(CCCCCC)O)O
- MDL number
- PubChem Substance ID
- NCI C83764
- RXCUI 1310538
- NSC 2389
Synonyms :
- 1,2,3-Propanetriyl tris(12-hydroxyoctadecanoate)
- Glycerol tris(12-hydroxystearate)
- Thixcin,
- Glyceryl tris(12-hydroxystearate)
- 12-Hydroxystearic acid triglyceride
