Polysorbate is a widely used nonionic surfactant, mainly used in the field of raw materials for chemical production. It has excellent properties such as emulsification, dispersion, wetting and penetration, so it is widely used in pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic and other industries. This article will introduce the manufacturing method of polysorbate in detail.
I. Manufacturing principle
The manufacturing principle of polysorbate is mainly realized through esterification reaction and polymerization reaction. Esterification reaction refers to the role of acidic catalyst, sorbitol and fatty acid esterification reaction to generate sorbate. Polymerization reaction is under the action of alkaline catalyst, multiple sorbate molecules undergo polymerization reaction to produce polysorbate.
II. Manufacturing Steps
1. Preparing Raw Materials
The main raw materials for manufacturing polysorbate are sorbitol, fatty acids, catalysts and solvents. Among them, the molar ratio of sorbitol and fatty acid is generally between 1:1 and 1:2, the amount of catalyst is generally 0.5%-2% of the mass of sorbitol, and the amount of solvent is determined on a case-by-case basis.
2. Esterification reaction
Sorbitol, fatty acid and catalyst were added to the reaction kettle, heated and stirred, and the reaction temperature was controlled to be between 100-150 °C, and the reaction time was 2-4 hours. The reaction product was a mixture of sorbate and water.
3. Neutralization reaction
The reaction product was cooled to room temperature, and an alkaline absorbent was added to carry out the neutralization reaction to produce a crude polysorbate product. Commonly used alkaline absorbents are sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide and so on.
4. Washing and dehydration
The crude polysorbate is washed with solvent to remove the impurities, and then dehydrated to obtain the finished polysorbate product.
3. Precautions
1. Control the reaction temperature and time to avoid excessive esterification and polymerization, which will affect the product quality.
2. Control the pH value during neutralization reaction to avoid excessive alkalinity leading to product decomposition.
3. Control the ratio of solvent and temperature during washing and dehydration to avoid product loss and quality degradation.
Four, application fields
As an excellent nonionic surfactant, polysorbate is widely used in pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic and other industries. In the pharmaceutical industry, polysorbate can be used as emulsifier, dispersant, wetting agent, etc., for making oral or external drugs. In the food industry, polysorbate can be used as emulsifiers, stabilizers, etc., used in the production of beverages, dairy products and so on. In cosmetic industry, polysorbate can be used as emulsifier, penetrating agent, etc., used for making skin care products, cosmetics, etc.
In conclusion, the manufacturing method of polysorbate involves chemical reactions such as esterification reaction and polymerization reaction, which requires strict control of reaction conditions and product quality. Meanwhile, polysorbate, as an important nonionic surfactant, has a wide range of application prospects in the fields of medicine, food, cosmetics and so on.
