Lauryl alcohol, also known as Dodecanol, refers to an organic compound that is produced industrially from either coconut oil or palm kernel oil.It has no electrical charge on the hydrophilic end. It takes the shape of a dense liquid in general and is often sticky to the touch. The method of ethoxylation also helps to improve the material’s water solubility.Many materials contain Lauryl Alcohol like cosmetics, laundry detergents, surface cleaners, and, to name a few,

Uses of Lauryl Alcohol

Emulsifier – Lauryl alcohol acts as an emulsifier in liquids such as paints and coatings to facilitate dispersion. 

Foaming agent – Lauryl Alcohol is used in personal care products such as shampoos and bath gels as it acts as an exceptionally well foaming agent.

Wetting agent –  Lauryl Alcohol acts as a reliable wetting agent in a variety of industrial and household cleaning products. Some of its applications include detergents, laundry pre-spotters, and hard surface cleaners. Lauryl Alcohol is used as the wetting agent in cloth and leather processing applications.

Surfactants: – Lauryl Alcohol can be used as an intermediate surfactant to produce SLES (Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate). SLES is an anionic surfactant and detergent and manufactures many products for personal care.

Lauryl Alcohol is extracted from esterification of natural fatty acids . These nonionic products are used in various applications, and their purpose depends heavily on chemical composition. For a particular application, the Hydrophilic / Lipophilic Balance primarily defines the nonionic preference. The HLB value determines properties like emulsification strength, detergency, foaming, solubilization, and others.