1. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Research

• Protein Extraction and Membrane Protein Solubilization:
As a mild non-ionic detergent, it is commonly used to lyse cell membranes and solubilize membrane proteins without disrupting the natural conformation of the proteins. Typical usage concentration is 0.1%-1%.

• Cell Permeabilization:
It increases the permeability of cell membranes without completely lysing the cells, facilitating the introduction of external molecules (such as antibodies, dyes) into the cell interior.

• Artificial Membrane and Membrane Vesicle Preparation:
Its formed micelle or microemulsion structure is similar to cell membranes and can be used to construct model systems for studying cell membrane properties. Studies have shown that it can prepare uniformly oriented cytoplasmic membrane vesicles.

2. Materials Science

• Nanomaterial Template Agent:
In the preparation of nanocomposite hydrogels, it can be used as a “soft template” to guide the formation of pore structures, thereby improving the mechanical properties and hydrophilicity of the material.

3. Pharmaceutical Technology and Drug Development

• Drug Delivery Systems:
As a component of microemulsions, it is used to encapsulate and deliver water-soluble or lipid-soluble drugs, helping to improve the bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs.

• Drug Release Studies:
It is used to construct micellar chromatography systems (biopartitioning micellar chromatography, BMC) that simulate biological membranes to evaluate the hydrophobicity of drug molecules and predict their release behavior in vivo.

• Emulsifier for Topical Preparations:
In the pharmaceutical industry, its analogues (such as polyoxyethylene 20 stearyl ether, HLB value 15) are widely used as oil-in-water emulsifiers for the preparation of creams, lotions, gels, and other topical preparations.

4. Industrial and Household Chemicals

• General Emulsifier and Solubilizer:
In cosmetics, personal care products, and some industrial fields, its surface activity is utilized for emulsification, solubilization, dispersion, and wetting.