The Properties and Functions of Polysorbate 60

polysorbate 60 in hair products is an oily thick liquid or a semi-solid with yellowish or amber color. It has a distinctive odor and slight bitter taste. Polysorbate 60 is a nonionic surfactant that is commonly used in food, personal care, pharmaceutical, industrial and more. There are two ways to synthesize polysorbate 60. The most common way is to go through base catalysis, where diesters, triglyceride and other by-products are produced in the reaction, resulting in dark color and unstable quality product. This type of polysorbate can only be used for petroleum, cleanser, textile and other industrial productions. Another way of synthesis is carried out by etherification and esterification; when etherification is performed prior to esterification, the product appears to be dark colored with high diesters and triglyceride contents and low stability. Whereas when esterification is performed before etherification, the product has lighter color, higher monoester yield and higher stab...