Decyl Dimethyl Amine Oxide (OA-10) Usage Procedure

Decyl Dimethyl Amine Oxide (OA-10) is a nonionic/cationic surfactant (zwitterionic in acidic conditions) widely used in detergents, personal care products, and industrial formulations for its foaming, thickening, and emulsifying properties. Below is a general usage procedure covering handling, dosing, and precautions.

1. Product Overview

Chemical Name: Decyl Dimethyl Amine Oxide (C10-DMAO)

CAS No.: 2605-79-0

Appearance: Colorless to pale yellow transparent liquid

Active Content: Typically 30–35% in aqueous solution

pH (as supplied): 6–8 (neutral to mildly acidic/alkaline)

2. Typical Applications

Household & Industrial Cleaners: Foam booster/stabilizer.

Personal Care: Shampoos, shower gels, facial cleansers (mild surfactant).

Textile & Paper Industries: Softener, antistatic agent.

Agricultural Emulsions: Emulsifier adjuvant.

3. Usage Procedure

A. Pre-Use Checks

Verify product specification matches requirements (active content, pH).

Ensure storage temperature is 5–40°C; avoid freezing or prolonged >50°C exposure.

Gently mix/roll container if separation or sedimentation is observed.

B. Dosing Guidelines

General Concentration: 0.1–5% active matter in final formulation.

Foam booster in detergents: 0.5–2% (based on total formulation).

Primary surfactant in mild cleansers: 3–8% (blended with other surfactants).

Thickening agent: 0.5–3% (combined with salts, fatty acid amides, etc.).

Dilution Method:

Add deionized water to mixing vessel.

Slowly pour OA-10 into water under mild agitation (avoid high shear to prevent excessive foaming).

Blend with other surfactants (e.g., SLES, CAPB, betaines) before adding acids, salts, or preservatives.

C. Formulation Integration

Thickening Synergy:

Combine with salt (NaCl) or fatty acid alkanolamides to enhance viscosity.

Adjust pH to 5–7 for optimal thickening (zwitterionic character develops in mild acid).

Foam Stabilization:

Use with betaines or alkyl polyglucosides for rich, stable foam.

Compatibilization:

Can moderate anionic surfactant irritation; blend with SLES at 1:1 to 1:3 ratio.

D. pH Adjustment

OA-10 is stable in pH 3–12.

For thickening, adjust to pH 5–6.5 using citric acid or lactic acid.

Avoid h3 oxidizers (e.g., hypochlorite) directly mixed with OA-10 to prevent degradation.

E. Temperature Considerations

Incorporate at 20–40°C; higher temperatures may reduce viscosity temporarily.

Heating is not required for dissolution.

4. Safety & Handling

Personal Protection: Wear gloves and safety goggles; avoid eye/skin contact (may cause mild irritation).

Spill Management: Absorb with inert material, rinse area with water.

Incompatibilities: Strong acids/bases may alter performance; test compatibility before large-scale mixing.

5. Storage & Stability

Keep in sealed HDPE containers away from direct sunlight.

Shelf life: Typically 12–24 months under recommended conditions.

May thicken or gel at low temperatures; warm to room temperature and mix before use.

6. Performance Testing

Before full-scale production, conduct small-scale tests for:

Foam volume/stability (Ross-Miles, cylinder shaking method).

Viscosity build (Brookfield viscometer).

Compatibility with other ingredients (clear solution check after 24h).

Note: Always refer to the supplier’s technical datasheet for product-specific guidelines and regulatory compliance (e.g., biodegradability, toxicity data).