Tween(R)20 is a polyoxyethylene sorbitol ester that belongs to the polysorbate family. It is a nonionic detergent having a molecular weight of 1,225 daltons, assuming 20 ethylene oxide units, 1 sorbitol, and 1 lauric acid as the primary fatty acid. The ethylene oxide subunits are responsible for the hydrophilic nature of the surfactant, while the hydrocarbon chains provide the hydrophobic environment. Sorbitol forms the backbone ring to which the ethylene oxide polymers are attached.
Synonyms: Polyethylene glycol sorbitan monolaurate; Polyoxyethylenesorbitan monolaurate
MDL Number: MFCD00165986
Purity: >=40.0% (GC)
Density: 1.095 g/mL at 25 C (lit.)
Refractive Index: n20/D 1.468 (lit.)
Application: TWEEN 20 is a nonionic detergent widely used in biochemical applications. It has been used as an emulsifying agent for the preparation of stable oil-in-water emulsions. TWEEN 20 has been used in pre-extraction of membranes to remove peripheral proteins (used at 2% for extraction of membrane-bound proteins). TWEEN 20 has been used as a blocking agent for membrane based immunoassays at a typical concentration of 0.05%. TWEEN 20 can be used for lysing mammalian cells at a concentration of 0.005 to 0.5%.
Legal Information: TWEEN is a registered trademark of Croda International PLC
Acid Number: ≤2.2 mg/g
CMC: 0.06 mM(20-25°C)
Composition: lauric acid, ≥40% (balance primarily myristic, palmitic, and stearic acids)
Density: 1.095 g/mL at 25°C(lit.)
Description: non-ionic
Form: viscous liquid
HLB: 16.7
Hydroxyl Value: 96-108 mg/g
Impurities: ≤3.0% water
Mol Wt: mol wt ~1228
Quality Level: PREMIUM
Refractive Index: n20/D 1.468(lit.)
Suitability: complies for IR spectroscopy
Transition Temp: cloud point 76°C