Polyethylene Glycol 4000 (PEG-4000, CAS 25322-68-3) — Application Areas
Polyethylene Glycol 4000 (PEG-4000, also known as Macrogol 4000 or Carbowax 4000; CAS 25322-68-3) is a solid, water-soluble polyether of ethylene oxide with an average molecular weight of 3,600–4,400 g/mol. The combination of terminal hydroxyl groups, low residual moisture, and a melting range above ambient temperature has supported its use across several industries for decades. Typical application areas are summarized below.
• Personal Care & Cosmetic Formulations
PEG-4000 has been used in personal care formulating for several decades as a water-soluble structuring component, viscosity contributor, and humectant carrier. Its solid form at room temperature and clean dissolution profile make it a workable component in both anhydrous and aqueous systems.
End Products: skin care emulsions, color cosmetics, hair care preparations, bath and shower products.
• Industrial & Polymer Processing
With a hydroxyl value of 25–32 mg KOH/g and moisture content ≤1.0%, PEG-4000 is one of the standard mid-molecular-weight polyethers used in a class of polymer-modification and processing chemistries that has been established in industry for several decades.
End Products: lubricants and processing aids, surfactant intermediates, polymer modifiers, plasticizing additives.
• Solid Form Processing
PEG of this molecular weight range has a long-established history of use as a binding and coating component in oral solid dosage processing, as well as a vehicle in suppository and ointment bases. Material is supplied with a lot-specific Certificate of Analysis; suitability for any specific finished formulation is the responsibility of the end formulator.
End Products: oral solid dosage processing, suppository bases, ointment vehicles.
