Span 80 Chemical Properties

Boiling point:

463.43°C (rough estimate)

Density 

0.986 g/mL at 25 °C(lit.)

vapor pressure 

<1.4 hPa (20 °C)

refractive index 

n20/D 1.48(lit.)

Flash point:

>230 °F

storage temp. 

Store below +30°C.

solubility 

Practically insoluble but dispersible in water, soluble in fatty oils producing a hazy solution, miscible with alcohol.

form 

Viscous Liquid

Specific Gravity

0.986

color 

Yellow

Odor

at 100.00 %. fatty oily waxy

Odor Type

fatty

Water Solubility 

Soluble in ethanol at 50mg/mlMiscible with water, ethanol, isopropanol and ether. Insoluble in acetone.

Merck 

13,8796

BRN 

8172514

Hydrophilic-Lipophilic Balance (HLB)

4.3

Stability:

Stable. Combustible. Incompatible with strong oxidizing agents.

InChIKey

MPZLHRXPRGLWEB-AAZCQSIUSA-N

LogP

6.014 (est)

CAS DataBase Reference

1338-43-8(CAS DataBase Reference)

EPA Substance Registry System

Sorbitan monooleate (1338-43-8)

Safety Information

Safety Statements 

24/25

WGK Germany 

1

RTECS 

WG2932400

TSCA 

Yes

HS Code 

34021300

Hazardous Substances Data

1338-43-8(Hazardous Substances Data)

Toxicity

LD50 orally in Rabbit: > 39800 mg/kg

MSDS

• Language:English Provider:Sorbitan oleate
• Language:English Provider:SigmaAldrich

Span 80 Usage And Synthesis

HLB Values

HLB Values of Common Surfactants:

Surfactants with lower HLB values (3-6) are lipophilic and are conducive to the formation of water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions; surfactants with higher HLB values (8-18) are hydrophilic and are conducive to the formation of oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions.

Description

Span 80, also known as sorbitan monooleate, is a nonionic surfactant and emulsifier. It belongs to the family of sorbitan esters. This ingredient is produced by esterifying sorbitan with oleic acid, a fatty acid in many vegetable oils. Span 80 emulsifier presents as a light yellow, viscous, oily liquid. Its solubility characteristics include insolubility in water and solubility in organic solvents. Span 80 is an emulsifier, stabilizer, and dispersant used in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries.

Chemical Properties

Brownish-yellow, viscous liquid.

Uses

Span 80 is a low HLB surfactant suggested for use as a w/o emulsifier or as an o/w emulsifier for use in cosmetic formulations, oil field chemicals, plastics, household products, coatings and textiles.

Definition

ChEBI: Sorbitan monooleate is a fatty acid ester.

Application

Span 80 is a low HLB nonionic emulsifier, often used in combination with tween 80. It is mainly used in the following aspects:
(1) As a food additive. It can be added to desserts, bread, ice cream and beverages to enhance the taste of food, improve stability and extend shelf life.
(2) As a cosmetic emulsifier, thickener and surfactant, it is commonly found in sunscreen, face cream, essence, lotion and other products.
(3) As a pharmaceutical adjuvant. It can be used for the encapsulation and storage of pharmaceutical active ingredients (such as phenols, vitamins and other various antioxidant-rich molecules), and can also be used as an emulsifier, thickener and stabilizer in compound preparations.
(4) Fiber lubricant and softener in the textile industry.

Safety Profile

A skin irritant. Human mutation data reported. When heated to decomposition it emits acrid smoke and irritating fumes.

Span 80(1338-43-8)Related Product Information

• Glyceryl Monooleate
• polysorbate 40
• BUTYL OLEATE
• Span 60
• EMULSIFIER
• Metalaxyl
• Triton X-100
• Sorbitol
• SORBITAN TRIOLEATE
• Span 20
• Stearic acid
• Potassium oleate
• Sodium oleate
• Sorbitan monopalmitate
• Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), .alpha.-hydro-.omega.-hydroxy-, ether with D-glucitol (6:1)
• Calcium stearate
• Oleamide
• Butyl stearate