Industry Grade 40% 45% Sodium Thioglycolate CAS 367-51-1

What is sodium thioglycolate? What are its industrial applications?

1. What is Sodium thioglycolate?

Sodium thioglycolate is also known as sodium thioglycolate, sodium 2-sulfanylacetate, thioglycolic acid sodium salt or Mollescal SF. The most common name for sodium thioglycolate is sodium thioglycolate. It is the sodium salt of thioglycolic acid and its chemical formula is often given as:

HSCH2COONa (molecular formula C2H3NaO2S)

CAS No. 367-51-1.

It is generally a white crystalline powder or flaky solid, which is easily soluble in water, very hygroscopic and has a characteristic thiol smell. It has a strong reducing ability because of the active thiol group (-SH) in the molecule and can cut disulphide bond (-SS-) in proteins, which is the core mechanism to play its role in cosmetics and many industrial fields.

According to chemical classification, sodium mercaptoacetate is an organosulfur compound and a mercaptocarboxylate salt. It has the properties of both reducing agent and mercapto group donor, it supplies the reducing properties whereas the mercapto group can be adsorbed or coordinated with metal ions and mineral surfaces in contrast.

Industrial-grade sodium thioacetate refers to sodium thioacetate products mainly used for industrial production. The industrial grade products are mostly supplied in the form of aqueous solution (common 40%-50%, usually light yellow transparent liquid), due to the hygroscopicity of solid sodium thioacetate and inconvenient measurement and transportation.

The industrial grade sodium thioacetate is generally focused on the following indicators:

1. Content

In industrial applications, the active ingredient content stability is more important, e.g. the sodium salt content (usually 40%–50%) calculated as thioglycolic acid and moisture content. Fluctuations in content directly affect the efficiency and effectiveness of processes such as hair removal, flotation inhibition and deoxygenation

2. Reducing properties and thiol activity

The thiol group (-SH) is an important group involved in reduction, bond breaking and adsorption. Therefore, thiol activity and reducing power are important performance indices for industrial applications.

3. Impurity control

Industrial customers generally pay attention to impurities such as iron, heavy metals, sulphides, chloride ions and insoluble matter, so as to not affect the quality of cosmetics, mineral processing indicators and the quality of downstream products.

4. Smell and Colour

Sodium mercaptoacetate has the characteristic thiol odour. Products used in industrial environments tend to focus on the solution’s smell and colour, which is to balance customer satisfaction with quality stability.

II. What is the industrial application of Sodium thioglycolate?

Industrial grade sodium thioglycolate is usually available in aqueous solution (typical concentration 40% – 50%) with moderate concentration, metering and dosing convenience, easy pumping and dilution and without the problems caused by moisture absorption and clumping of solid products. The main applications of industrial grade sodium thioglycolate in the industrial field are:

1. Flotation depressants for copper-molybdenum ore

Sodium mercaptoacetate is an important organic inhibitor in copper-molybdenum separation flotation: the mercapto groups chemisorption on the chalcopyrite surface and the carboxyl groups form a hydrophilic film, which inhibits the flotation of copper minerals and pyrite and improves the grade of molybdenum concentrate.

2. Deoxygenation and anticorrosion of oilfield

Sodium mercaptoacetate solution can be used as an oxygen scavenger for oilfield water injection, fracturing fluid and drilling fluid systems, which can quickly remove dissolved oxygen in water and reduce oxygen corrosion of pipelines and equipment.

3. Reducing agents for textile printing and dyeing

In some textile printing & dyeing processes, sodium thioglycolate can be used as a reducing agent in dye reduction, stripping or fibre treatment processes to help improve the process effect.

4. Reagents for Analytical & Chemical Synthesis

In the laboratory, sodium thioglycolate is often used as an analytical reagent and reducing agent. In organic production, it can be used as a source of thiols or as a reducing intermediate and is involved in the synthesis of a variety of fine chemicals.

5. Treatment of metal surface etc.

Some metal surface treatment and chemical cleaning processes can use sodium mercaptoacetate as a reducing agent. Its strong reducing properties and thiol activity also suggest potential applications as a rubber additive and chemical intermediate.

Summarise

Sodium thioglycolate is a strongly reducing organosulfur compound. Its main mechanism is the breaking of disulphide bonds in proteins and the adsorption on mineral surfaces by the thiol group. It is used in personal care products such as hair perming agents, hair straighteners and hair removal creams. Industrial-grade sodium thioglycolate (aqueous solution) is commonly used in industry as a flotation inhibitor for copper-molybdenum ore, an oilfield deoxygenation agent, textile printing and dyeing, microbial testing and analytical synthesis. It is an essential raw material in the chains of cosmetics, mineral processing, and fine chemical industry.