Characteristics of Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine Oxide (CAPO)

Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine Oxide (CAPO), also known by its INCI name Cocamidopropylamine Oxide, is a versatile amphoteric surfactant derived from coconut oil fatty acids. Its characteristics make it valuable in both personal care and industrial cleaning formulations.

Chemical & Physical Properties

Identity: It is a tertiary amine oxide produced from the reaction of coco amidopropyl dimethyl amine with hydrogen peroxide. Its CAS number is 68155-09-9.

Appearance & Form: It is typically supplied as a clear, yellowish liquid with an active matter content of around 30%.

pH Behavior: It exhibits amphoteric character, meaning its charge depends on the pH of the formulation. It is stable over a wide pH range and becomes partially cationic at lower pH values, which contributes to conditioning effects.

Key Functional Characteristics

Foam Boosting & Stabilization: It is an excellent foam booster and stabilizer, significantly enhancing the volume, texture, and longevity of foam in cleansing products.

Viscosity Building & Thickening: It functions as a highly effective viscosity builder and thickener, particularly in formulations based on anionic surfactants. It can also thicken emulsions.

Mildness & Conditioning: It is described as an extremely mild cleansing agent and skin conditioner. Its partially cationic nature at lower pH provides a conditioning effect on hair and skin, making it useful in conditioners and shaving foams.

Wetting & Degreasing: It offers excellent wetting properties, even in concentrated electrolyte solutions, and provides effective degreasing.

Stability: It is stable in hard water and maintains high stability even in alkaline environments.

Biodegradability: It is readily biodegradable, which is a favorable environmental characteristic.

Primary Application Areas

Personal Care: Widely used in shampoos, body washes, facial cleansers, liquid soaps, and shaving foams as a secondary surfactant to boost foam, thicken the product, and reduce the irritation potential of primary anionic surfactants.

Household & Industrial Cleaning: Employed in hand dishwashing liquids, hard surface cleaners, and industrial & institutional cleaners as a foam booster, viscosity modifier, and wetting agent.

Textiles: Used as a wetting agent and, due to its thermal degradation properties, as a non-rewetting agent for textiles.

CAPO's value lies in its ability to enhance foam, build viscosity, and improve mildness, making it a highly functional co-surfactant across a broad range of cleansing products.