Lanolin alcohol is a major derivative of lanolin, a refined mixture of high molecular weight (MW) alcohols with an average molecular weight of 370. The main components (75%) consist of sterols and triterpenoids, with cholesterol being the primary component (36%), followed by lanosterol, nonsterols, and their dihydro derivatives.
Due to its higher polarity, free lanolin alcohol exhibits stronger surface activity than the esters it is typically bound to. This unique property endows anhydrous lanolin with exceptional water absorption capacity, exceeding 200% of its own weight. However, both free and refined lanolin alcohol are even more efficient as water absorbers, capable of absorbing several times its own weight in water. This characteristic makes it one of the most effective nonionic oil-in-water (w/o) emulsifiers currently available.
Lanolin alcohol also contains branched and unbranched fatty alcohols, including monohydric and dihydric alcohols. Furthermore, to prevent surface self-oxidation, a small amount of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) is added in the final stage of the refining process.
