- ▸ Nonionic emulsifier
- ▸ Wetting agent
- ▸ Low-cost solubilizer
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 →PEG-8 Tallate (CAS 61791-00-2; INCI: PEG-8 Tallate) is a nonionic surfactant made by ethoxylating tall-oil fatty acids with an average of 8 ethylene-oxide units. The hydrophobe, tall oil fatty acid (TOFA), is a byproduct of kraft pulping of coniferous trees and consists mainly of oleic and linoleic acids. The ester functions as an oil-in-water emulsifier and wetting agent. Buyers are formulators in industrial and institutional cleaning, agrochemicals, coatings, textiles, paper defoamers and metalworking fluids, and it ships as an essentially 100% active amber liquid.
One purchasing point comes before any spec sheet. CAS 61791-00-2 is a UVCB registration (“Fatty acids, tall-oil, ethoxylated”) that spans the whole ethoxylation ladder: PubChem depositions list synonyms from polyoxyethylene (4) monotallate up to PEG-10 Tallate under the same number, and ChemicalBook records PEG-4 through PEG-20 variants. Specify the EO grade on the purchase order, not just the CAS.
Key Properties
Values below are published for commercial ethoxylated tall-oil fatty acid grades under this CAS. No manufacturer publishes a technical data sheet specific to PEG-8 Tallate, so these figures aggregate typical values across the ethoxylated tall-oil fatty acid series (CAS 61791-00-2) and its individual mid-EO grades rather than any single grade; the water-soluble PEG-10 grade (Stepan NINEX MT-610, HLB 12) is the nearest published liquid anchor. They are typical reference values, not a guaranteed specification; per-grade figures must be confirmed on the specific grade’s technical data sheet, and the Certificate of Analysis (CoA) for your lot governs.
| Property | Typical value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance (25 °C) | Amber liquid (water-soluble mid-EO grades) | manufacturer bulletin |
| Active content | ≥99% fatty acids, tall-oil, ethoxylated; moisture 0.4–0.5% max | manufacturer SDS |
| HLB (calculated), by EO grade | 6 (low-EO, water-insoluble) to 12–13 (mid-EO, water-soluble) to 16 across the series; PEG-8 oleate analog: 11.6 | manufacturer bulletin, HLB database |
| Density (25 °C) | 1.04–1.05 g/mL (8.7–8.8 lb/US gal), mid-EO liquid grades | manufacturer bulletin |
| Viscosity (25 °C) | 300–360 cP (mid-EO liquid grades) | manufacturer bulletin |
| pH, 1% aqueous | 6.5–7.5 (typical 7.0) | manufacturer SDS |
| Cloud point (1% in 1% NaCl) | 22.5 °C (HLB 12 grade); 53 °C (HLB 13); 78 °C (HLB 16) | manufacturer bulletin |
| Pour point | 4 °C (HLB 12 grade); 13 °C (HLB 13 grade) | manufacturer bulletin |
| Flash point (PMCC) | >94 °C (>201 °F) | manufacturer bulletin |
| Solubility (mid-EO grades) | Soluble in water, methanol and xylene; insoluble in kerosene | manufacturer bulletin |
| RVOC (US EPA reactive VOC) | 0% | manufacturer bulletin |
Applications
Agriculture
Ethoxylated tall-oil fatty acids are documented as effective emulsifiers and emulsifier-blend components for pesticide emulsifiable concentrates (EC/EW) in the manufacturer bulletin. The mixed hydrophobe emulsifies well across a wide HLB range (6–16 across EO grades), and the chemistry holds up in both alkaline and acidic media. Grades of this type are commonly cleared as inert ingredients for pesticide formulations under EPA 40 CFR 180.910 for pre- and post-harvest use; confirm the listing for your specific grade and destination market.
HI&I cleaning
Registered surfactant functions for this CAS are emulsifying and cleansing. Fatty acid ethoxylates work as emulsifiers, detergents and wetting agents in detergent and industrial-cleaner formulations, and the acid/alkali stability suits built alkaline or acidic cleaner systems. A 1% aqueous solution runs near-neutral, at pH 6.5–7.5.
Coatings and construction
The substance is described as an emulsifier for both solvent and solventless coating systems, improving adhesion, leveling and film appearance. Its 0% RVOC and >94 °C PMCC flash point fit low-VOC coating formulations.
Textiles
Polyoxyethylene tall-oil fatty acid esters serve as lubricant-emulsifiers in polyester spin finishes and overfinishes. A published tire-yarn overfinish uses about 5.5–8.1 parts by weight of polyoxyethylene (10–20 EO) tall-oil fatty acid in the aqueous finish emulsion applied after drawing.
Pulp & paper and metalworking
Tall-oil ethoxylates are used as emulsifiers in paper-machine defoamer formulations, holding the defoaming actives as dispersible emulsions. PEG tallate esters are also sold as emulsifiers for oil phases in soluble-oil and semi-synthetic metalworking fluids.
Selecting a Grade
EO count is the selection lever. Across a published tall-oil ethoxylate series, calculated HLB rises from 6 to 12 to 13 to 16 with increasing ethoxylation. The HLB 6 grade is water-insoluble, the HLB 12–13 grades dissolve in water, and cloud point (1% in 1% NaCl) climbs in step from 22.5 °C to 53 °C to 78 °C.
Choose a low-EO grade (HLB near 6, around 3 EO) for oil-continuous systems and coupling, the mid-EO PEG-8 to PEG-10 range (HLB 12) for oil-in-water emulsification and wetting, and a higher-EO grade — PEG-15 (HLB 13) or the roughly 30-EO, HLB-16 grade — for hot or high-electrolyte aqueous systems; note that the HLB-16 grade is an ethylene-oxide/propylene-oxide adduct that is solid below about 22 °C rather than a pourable liquid. No manufacturer publishes an exact HLB for PEG-8 Tallate. The nearest anchors are 11.6 for PEG-8 oleate — a fair proxy, since TOFA is predominantly oleic/linoleic — and 12 for a water-soluble mid-EO tallate. Run emulsifier-pair math at 11–12 and confirm on the grade’s technical data sheet (TDS). Co-emulsifiers for the same systems are listed in our nonionic surfactants range.
Bulk Supply
RawSource supplies PEG-8 Tallate and adjacent ethoxylation grades across the tall-oil EO ladder in bulk, from LTL drum quantities through totes and ISO tanks to full-container loads, with a CoA and Safety Data Sheet (SDS) on every shipment. Request a quote with your target EO grade, volume and specification, or browse the full nonionic surfactants catalog.
Sources
- ECHA CHEM: Fatty acids, tall-oil, ethoxylated (EC 500-150-1 / EC 953-885-9)
- COSMILE Europe: PEG-8 Tallate ingredient entry
- PubChem Substance SID 135294563 (ChemIDplus deposition)
- Stepan NINEX MT series product bulletin (July 2017)
- Stepan NINEX MT-615 Safety Data Sheet (rev. 01/31/2024)
- eCFR: 40 CFR 180.910 — inert ingredients used pre- and post-harvest, exemptions from the requirement of a tolerance
- ChemicalBook: CAS 61791-00-2 substance record
- EP 0223000 A2: polyester tire-yarn overfinish composition
Frequently Asked Questions
What is PEG-8 Tallate?
PEG-8 Tallate (CAS 61791-00-2) is a nonionic surfactant made by ethoxylating tall-oil fatty acids (mainly oleic and linoleic acids, recovered from kraft pulping of pine) with an average of 8 ethylene-oxide units. It functions as an oil-in-water emulsifier and wetting agent, supplied as an amber liquid at essentially full activity (99%+ active). Formulators use it in industrial and institutional cleaners, agrochemical concentrates, coatings, polyester spin finishes, paper-machine defoamers and metalworking fluids.
Is PEG-8 a plastic?
No. PEG-8 is a short polyethylene glycol segment averaging 8 ethylene-oxide units per molecule; it is a water-soluble liquid, chemically distinct from solid polyethylene plastic despite the similar name. In PEG-8 Tallate that segment is esterified to tall-oil fatty acid, forming the hydrophilic head of a liquid nonionic surfactant.
What are the side effects of PEG-8 Tallate?
For this industrial surfactant, the relevant measure is the GHS classification on the Safety Data Sheet rather than consumer-style side effects. One manufacturer’s 2024 SDS for a 99%+ CAS 61791-00-2 product lists no acute-toxicity, irritation or sensitization classification, only short-term aquatic hazard Category 3 (H402, harmful to aquatic life). Aggregator data show some suppliers self-classify GHS07/H317 (skin sensitization) instead, so classification varies by supplier and grade. The shipped lot’s SDS is the governing document.
What is potassium tallate, and is it the same as PEG-8 Tallate?
No. Potassium tallate is the potassium salt (soap) of tall-oil fatty acids, an anionic surfactant; sodium tallate is the sodium equivalent. PEG-8 Tallate starts from the same fatty acids but esterifies them with polyethylene glycol instead, giving a nonionic ester that stays functional in both acidic and alkaline media, where fatty-acid soaps revert to the free acid at low pH.
What is PEG-8 Tallate used for?
Its registered surfactant functions are emulsifying and cleansing. In practice it acts as an oil-in-water emulsifier and wetting agent across industrial and institutional cleaners, pesticide emulsifiable concentrates, solvent and solventless coatings, polyester spin finishes, paper-machine defoamer emulsions and soluble-oil metalworking fluids. For crop-protection use, ethoxylated tall-oil fatty acids are commonly cleared as inert ingredients under EPA 40 CFR 180.910 for pre- and post-harvest applications; verify the listing for the specific grade and market you ship to.
Is PEG-8 Tallate the same as PEG-10 or PEG-12 Tallate?
No; the ethoxylation degree differs, but they all share CAS 61791-00-2. The CAS number is a UVCB registration (“Fatty acids, tall-oil, ethoxylated”) spanning the whole EO ladder: PubChem depositions list synonyms from polyoxyethylene (4) monotallate up to PEG-10 Tallate, and ChemicalBook records PEG-4 through PEG-20 variants under the same number. More EO means a more water-soluble, higher-HLB surfactant — across a published series, calculated HLB climbs from 6 to 16. Because of that spread, name the target EO grade on the purchase order rather than relying on the CAS number alone.
What is the HLB of PEG-8 Tallate?
There is no published HLB figure specific to PEG-8 Tallate. Because HLB is set by the hydrophilic PEG fraction, it climbs with EO count, so a roughly 8-EO tall-oil ester sits with the water-soluble mid-EO grades — whose low cloud points corroborate an HLB near 12. Two published values bracket the estimate: PEG-8 oleate at 11.6 (oleate is the dominant tall-oil fatty acid) and 12 for a water-soluble mid-EO ethoxylated tall-oil grade. Size emulsifier-pair blends at HLB 11-12, then confirm against the grade’s technical data sheet (TDS).
Where can you buy PEG-8 Tallate in bulk?
RawSource supplies PEG-8 Tallate and adjacent grades across the tall-oil ethoxylation ladder from LTL drum quantities through totes and ISO tanks to full-container loads, with a CoA and Safety Data Sheet on every shipment. Request a quote with your target EO grade, volume and specification. Plan for cold weather: mid-EO grades have pour points of 4-13 °C, so drums held below 16 °C (60 °F) may thicken and need drum heat before use.