Castor Oil Derivatives
Castor Oil Ethoxylates
- Brand: Nova Industries
- Category: Castor Oil Derivatives
- Sub-Category: Ethoxylates / Non-Ionic Surfactants
- Compliance Class: Industrial / Textile / Agrochemical / Cosmetic
- Chemical Type: Ethylene oxide adducts of castor oil (non-ionic surfactants; EO chain variable by grade)
- Grade: EO-specific grades (e.g., CO-5, CO-10, CO-20, CO-40, CO-80 – moles of ethylene oxide)
- Physical Form: Clear liquid to soft paste / solid (grade-dependent)
Product Overview
Castor Oil Ethoxylates (CAS No. 61791-12-6) are non-ionic surfactants produced by the ethoxylation of castor oil – a process that adds ethylene oxide (EO) molecules to the castor oil triglycerides, typically at the ricinoleic acid hydroxyl group. The number of EO moles added (ranging from 5 to 100 moles) determines the degree of hydrophilicity, the HLB (Hydrophile-Lipophile Balance) value, and the physical form of the product – ranging from oils at low EO content to waxy solids at high EO content. Castor oil ethoxylates exhibit outstanding wetting, emulsifying, dispersing, and solubilizing properties. They are readily biodegradable, have low aquatic toxicity, and are derived from a renewable vegetable oil – making them an environmentally preferable alternative to many conventional synthetic surfactants. At
Nova Industries, castor oil ethoxylates are manufactured in multiple EO-mole grades to serve the agrochemical, textile, personal care, pharmaceutical, and industrial cleaning industries. Our product is supplied to global buyers with consistent quality and reliable export capability from our Gujarat manufacturing base.
Technical Specifications:
| Parameter | Specification / Value |
|---|---|
| Appearance | White Paste to Viscous Liquid |
| Odour | Mild, characteristic |
| Ethylene Oxide (EO) Content | 5 – 80 moles (grade-specific) |
| HLB Value | Approx. 13 |
| Hydroxyl Value | 60 – 80 mg KOH/g (grade-dependent) |
| Acid Value | Max 2.0 mg KOH/g |
| pH (1% solution in water) | 5.5 – 7.5 |
| Cloud Point (1% solution) | Grade-dependent (reported on TDS) |
| Moisture Content | Max 1.0% |
| Colour (APHA) | Max 100 |
| Solubility | Water-dispersible to water-soluble (EO grade dependent) |
| Flash Point | Min 200°C (liquid grades) |
What Castor Oil Ethoxylates Do & Buyer Problems They Solve
What They Do:
- Function as powerful non-ionic emulsifiers and solubilizers – castor oil ethoxylates effectively emulsify oil-in-water and water-in-oil systems across a wide range of applications, enabling stable, uniform formulations in agrochemicals, textiles, cosmetics, and industrial cleaners.
- Provide excellent wetting and penetration – by reducing surface and interfacial tension, castor oil ethoxylates improve wetting of fibres, plant surfaces, and substrates, which is critical in textile processing, agrochemical spray applications, and industrial cleaning.
- Deliver broad compatibility with other surfactants and formulation components – as non-ionic surfactants, they are compatible with anionic, cationic, and amphoteric surfactants, and are stable across a wide pH range, giving formulators significant flexibility.
Buyer Problems They Solve:
- If your agrochemical formulation requires an effective emulsifier for EC (emulsifiable concentrate) or EW (emulsion in water) type products – castor oil ethoxylates (particularly CO-40 type, 40 EO moles) are industry-standard emulsifiers for pesticide formulations with regulatory acceptance globally.
- If your textile auxiliary formulation requires a wetting agent that performs across acidic and alkaline dyebath conditions – castor oil ethoxylates offer stable, consistent wetting and levelling performance without foam issues.
- If your personal care formulation needs a mild, biodegradable emulsifier or solubilizer for essential oils and fragrance – castor oil ethoxylates provide clean, clear emulsification with a favourable safety and environmental profile.
- If you’re under regulatory pressure to replace hard-to-biodegrade or aquatic-toxic surfactants in your industrial formulations – castor oil ethoxylates offer a biodegradable, low-ecotoxicity alternative that meets EU REACH and other environmental requirements.
Key Properties & Performance Characteristics
- Type: Non-ionic surfactant (ethoxylated triglyceride)
- Available EO Moles: 5, 10, 16, 20, 30, 36, 40, 50, 60, 80, 100 EO moles – grade affects HLB, appearance, and application suitability
- Appearance: Pale yellow to amber liquid (low EO grades) to soft solid or paste (high EO grades)
- HLB Range: 6–18 depending on degree of ethoxylation
- Solubility: Dispersible to fully soluble in water – increases with EO mole count
- Biodegradability: Readily biodegradable – environmentally favourable surfactant
- pH Stability: Stable between pH 4–10 (suitable for most industrial and cosmetic formulations)
- Foam Profile: Low to moderate foaming – important for textile and paper industry applications
- Aquatic Toxicity: Low – compared to many conventional synthetic surfactants
- Compatibility: Compatible with anionic, cationic, and non-ionic surfactants
Stability, Shelf Life & Storage
- Shelf Life: 24 months from production date under recommended conditions
- Storage Temperature: 15°C–30°C in a cool, dry, well-ventilated location
- Physical State at Low Temperatures: High EO grades may solidify at ambient temperature – warm gently to liquefy before use; quality is not affected
- Avoid: Direct sunlight, extreme heat, strong oxidizing agents, and contamination from water (for solid grades)
- Packaging: 200 kg HDPE drums or MS drums; 1000 kg IBC containers – custom packaging on request
Manufacturing & Quality Control
Castor Oil Ethoxylates at Nova Industries are produced through a controlled ethoxylation reaction:
- Castor Oil Feed: Refined castor oil with specified hydroxyl value and low acid value
- Ethoxylation Reaction: Controlled addition of ethylene oxide under pressure and temperature management to achieve the target EO moles with narrow distribution
- Stripping & Neutralisation: Post-reaction processing to remove excess EO and stabilize the product
- Grade Verification: Each EO grade is tested for Appearance, HLB, Cloud Point, pH (of aqueous solution), and specific gravity
- Compliance: Products meet REACH registration and are produced in compliance with applicable chemical safety regulations
- Documentation: Batch CoA, MSDS, TDS, and export documentation provided with each shipment
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why Us
Why Choose Nova Industries?
A few reasons why we insist you to choose Nova Industries are:
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Fresh & Pure Products
Sourced and processed with care to retain maximum purity and effectiveness.
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Export-Ready Standards
Fully compliant with international quality norms, ensuring smooth global shipments.
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Long Shelf Life
Advanced refining and packaging methods keep our products stable and effective for extended periods.
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Global Supply Capability
Robust infrastructure and logistics support to serve clients worldwide with on-time delivery.
Your Global Partner for Castor Oil Solutions
Get in touch with us for reliable supply, competitive pricing, and export-ready castor oil and derivatives.
Industry Applications & Use Cases
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Agrochemical Formulations
One of the largest end-use markets for castor oil ethoxylates. They are used as non-ionic emulsifiers in emulsifiable concentrate (EC), emulsion in water (EW), and suspension concentrate (SC) type pesticide formulations - improving active ingredient dispersion, leaf wetting, and spray coverage.
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Textile Processing & Dyeing Auxiliaries
Castor oil ethoxylates are used as wetting agents, scouring agents, levelling agents, and emulsifiers in textile wet processing. They ensure uniform penetration of dyes and chemicals into fibres, improving colour consistency and reducing batch-to-batch variation in dyeing.
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Personal Care & Cosmetics
Used as emulsifiers and solubilizers in shampoos, bath gels, creams, lotions, and cosmetic emulsions. They help solubilize fragrance and essential oils in aqueous systems and stabilize oil-in-water emulsions - particularly in rinse-off and leave-on personal care products.
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Industrial & Institutional Cleaners
Castor oil ethoxylates provide effective emulsification and degreasing in industrial cleaning formulations for metal parts, machinery, floors, and equipment. Their non-ionic nature makes them compatible with a wide range of cleaning additives and effective across a broad pH range.
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Pharmaceutical & Nutraceutical Formulations
Higher EO-mole castor oil ethoxylates (e.g., Polyoxyl 35 Castor Oil / Cremophor EL) are used in pharmaceutical formulations to solubilize poorly water-soluble drugs in injectable, oral, and topical preparations. They are excipients listed in major pharmacopoeias.
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Paints, Coatings & Pigment Dispersions
Used as dispersing and wetting agents in water-based paint and ink formulations to improve pigment wetting, reduce grind time, and maintain stable pigment dispersions during storage - contributing to better colour development and coating uniformity.
FAQ’s
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The EO mole count determines the HLB value and water solubility – low EO (5–15 moles) gives lower HLB values suitable for water-in-oil emulsions and wetting agents; medium EO (20–40 moles) is ideal for oil-in-water emulsions, agrochemical emulsifiers, and general surfactant applications; high EO (50–100 moles) gives very high HLB values suitable for solubilizing essential oils, pharmaceuticals, and pigments in water. Contact our technical team with your formulation details for a grade recommendation.
Yes. Castor oil ethoxylates are widely used in personal care products including shampoos, bath oils, creams, and cleansers as emulsifiers and solubilizers. They are generally recognized as mild and well-tolerated. For cosmetic applications, it is important to use grades produced to cosmetic-grade quality standards and to verify compliance with the applicable regulations (EU Cosmetics Regulation, FDA, etc.) for your target market. We can provide the technical documentation needed for cosmetic ingredient qualification.
Standard castor oil ethoxylates are produced from regular castor oil and contain unsaturated ricinoleic acid chains – these grades have good emulsifying properties but may be sensitive to oxidation at high temperatures. Hydrogenated castor oil ethoxylates (HCOE) are produced from hydrogenated castor oil (HCO/castor wax), yielding a more thermally stable and oxidation-resistant product – these are preferred in pharmaceutical and high-temperature applications. Both types are available from Nova Industries.
Yes. Castor oil ethoxylates are readily biodegradable under aerobic conditions, which makes them an environmentally preferred choice compared to many synthetic surfactants. They also have low aquatic toxicity, which is important for industrial cleaning, agricultural, and textile applications where effluent management is a regulatory consideration. We can provide ecotoxicology data on request.
Yes. Nova Industries can supply standard grades (typically 10, 16, 20, 30, 40, 50 EO moles) as well as custom blended grades to achieve a specific target HLB value for your formulation. Please provide your HLB requirement, intended application, and any other performance criteria, and our technical team will recommend the best product option or develop a custom specification.
Testimonials
valuable words from our client
We have been sourcing Hydrogenated Castor Oil and 12HSA from Nova Industries for over three years. Their product consistency and batch quality are highly reliable, which is critical for our manufacturing process. Deliveries are always on time, and their team is very responsive.
Nova Industries stands out for their professionalism and technical understanding. The quality of their castor oil derivatives meets international standards, and their documentation and export support make global sourcing seamless for us.
What we value most is Nova’s consistency and transparency. From inquiry to shipment, the process is smooth and well-managed. Their castor oil grades perform exactly as specified, helping us maintain product quality across our production lines.