SODIUM LIGNOSULFONATE- ▸ Concrete admixture: Water-reducing dispersant for cement and gypsum slurries.
- ▸ Drilling fluids: Thinner and dispersant in oil-well drilling muds.
- ▸ Dust and soil control: Soil stabilizer and road binder.
- ▸ Dispersant: Disperses dyes, pesticides, and carbon black.
- ▸ Animal feed: Pellet binder for feed manufacture.
A grade-specific Safety Data Sheet (SDS) — with the complete hazard classification, handling precautions, and transport information — is supplied with every shipment and available on request. Confirm all safety and regulatory details against the SDS for your specific grade.
Request SDS →Sodium lignosulfonate (CAS 8061-51-6) is a water-soluble anionic polymer recovered from the sulfite pulping of wood. It is a low-cost, versatile dispersant, binder and water-reducing agent: it adsorbs onto particle surfaces and keeps them dispersed, which makes it a concrete plasticizer, a dust-control and pelletizing binder, a dye and agrochemical dispersant, and an oil-well additive. Identity: PubChem.
What is sodium lignosulfonate?
Lignosulfonates are sulfonated lignin polymers, a co-product of sulfite wood pulping. The sodium salt is brown, water-soluble and surface-active: its sulfonate and hydroxyl groups let it adsorb onto and disperse mineral and organic particles, chelate some metal ions, and act as a binder when dried. Properties vary with the wood source and degree of sulfonation, so grades differ in molecular weight, reducing-sugar content and purity.
Applications by sector
Construction. It is a plasticizer / water-reducing admixture for concrete and a grinding aid for cement. Dust control & pelletizing. It binds unpaved-road dust and acts as a binder in animal-feed pellets, briquettes, ceramics and fertilizer granulation. Dispersants. It disperses dyes, pigments, pesticides (agrochemical wettable powders) and carbon black. Oilfield. It is used as a drilling-mud thinner/dispersant. Match the grade to the duty.
Grades and forms
Supplied as a brown powder or liquid; specify the form, molecular-weight/sulfonation grade and purity (for example low reducing-sugar grades for admixture use) on the RFQ. Properties are graded to the application and documented on the CoA.
Handling and documentation
Sodium lignosulfonate is a stable, water-soluble powder; manage dust per the Safety Data Sheet (SDS). Each lot ships with a Certificate of Analysis (CoA).
Bulk supply and RFQ
RawSource supplies sodium lignosulfonate in bags, super sacks and bulk to construction, agricultural, dust-control and oilfield buyers, with CoA and SDS per lot. Submit an RFQ with your grade, form and target quantity for a current quote.
Typical Properties
Typical reference values, not a specification; the Certificate of Analysis (CoA) for the lot governs.
| Property | Typical Value |
|---|---|
| Chemical Name | Sodium lignosulfonate (sulfonated lignin, sodium salt) |
| CAS Number | 8061-51-6 |
| Appearance | Light to dark brown powder or liquid |
| Solubility | Soluble in water |
| Charge | Anionic polymer |
| Function | Dispersant, water-reducing plasticizer, binder |
| Grade variables | Molecular weight, degree of sulfonation, reducing-sugar content (see CoA) |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is sodium lignosulfonate used for?
Sodium lignosulfonate (CAS 8061-51-6) is used as a concrete water-reducing plasticizer and cement grinding aid, a dust-control and pelletizing binder, a dispersant for dyes, pigments and agrochemicals, and a drilling-mud thinner.
How does sodium lignosulfonate work as a dispersant?
Its anionic sulfonate groups adsorb onto particle surfaces and impart charge and steric repulsion, keeping particles dispersed and reducing the water needed for flow — the basis of its use in concrete and slurries.
Is sodium lignosulfonate the same as calcium lignosulfonate?
They are the same sulfonated-lignin chemistry with a different counter-ion. The sodium salt is generally more soluble and is chosen where sodium is acceptable; the calcium salt is used elsewhere. Specify the salt on the RFQ.
What is the CAS number of sodium lignosulfonate?
Sodium lignosulfonate is CAS 8061-51-6. It is a natural-derived polymer, so properties are graded (molecular weight, sulfonation, reducing sugars) rather than fixed; the CoA documents each lot.
How is bulk sodium lignosulfonate supplied and quoted?
RawSource supplies it as powder or liquid in bags, super sacks and bulk, with CoA and SDS per lot. Pricing is quote-based on grade, form and volume; submit an RFQ with your target quantity and ship-to.
Disclaimer. Information on this page — including chemical properties, identifiers, hazard, transport (DOT/UN) and tariff (HS) classifications, and applications — is provided for general reference and is compiled from authoritative public sources (e.g. PubChem). Values are typical and are not a guaranteed specification; the Certificate of Analysis (CoA) for the lot you purchase governs. Products are sold for industrial and professional use only. Nothing here is a medical, health, or efficacy claim, or advice. Always consult the current Safety Data Sheet (SDS) before handling, storage, transport or disposal, and confirm regulatory status, classification and suitability for your application and jurisdiction. Hazard, transport and tariff classifications must be verified for your specific shipment. RawSource makes no warranty, express or implied, and assumes no liability for use of this information.