Polyethylene glycol

« Back to Glossary Index

Polyethylene glycol is a widely used ingredient in cosmetics, personal care, and skincare formulations. Depending on its function, it may serve as a moisturizer, preservative, emulsifier, or active ingredient to enhance the overall effectiveness and performance of a product.

Polyethylene glycol (PEG; /ˌpɒliˈɛθəlˌn ˈɡlˌkɒl, -ˈɛθɪl-, -ˌkɔːl/) is a polyether compound derived from petroleum with many applications, from industrial manufacturing to medicine. PEG is also known as polyethylene oxide (PEO) or polyoxyethylene (POE), depending on its molecular weight. The structure of PEG is commonly expressed as H−(O−CH2−CH2)n−OH.

Polyethylene glycol
Polyethylene glycol 400
Polyethylene glycol 400
Names
IUPAC names
poly(oxyethylene) {structure-based},
poly(ethylene oxide) {source-based}
Other names
Kollisolv, Carbowax, GoLYTELY, GlycoLax, Fortrans, TriLyte, Colyte, Halflytely, macrogol, MiraLAX, MoviPrep
Identifiers
Abbreviations PEG
ChEMBL
ChemSpider
  • none
ECHA InfoCard 100.105.546 Edit this at Wikidata
E number E1521 (additional chemicals)
UNII
Properties
C2nH4n+2On+1
Molar mass 44.05n + 18.02 g/mol
Density 1.125
Pharmacology
A06AD15 (WHO)
Hazards
Flash point 182–287 °C; 360–549 °F; 455–560 K
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
☒N verify (what is checkY☒N ?)
« Back to Glossary Index
This entry was posted in . Bookmark the permalink.