General production process of polyethylene glycol 400

The general production process route of polyethylene glycol 400 is as follows:

1. Raw material preparation: Firstly, ethylene oxide (EO) needs to be prepared as the starting material.

2. Addition of initiator: An initiator, usually an alkaline catalyst such as potassium hydroxide (KOH) or sodium hydroxide (NaOH), is added to the reaction system.

3. Aggregation reaction: Under controlled reaction conditions, ethylene oxide molecules undergo ring opening polymerization to form polyethylene glycol. Aggregation reactions are usually carried out in aqueous phase to control molecular weight and reaction rate.

4. Termination reaction: When the desired molecular weight is reached, the polymerization reaction is terminated by adding a termination agent.

5. Separation and purification: After the polymerization reaction is completed, unreacted ethylene oxide, catalyst, and other by-products need to be removed through separation and purification steps to obtain pure polyethylene glycol products.

6. Molecular weight regulation: If specific molecular weight polyethylene glycol is required, the molecular weight can be controlled by adjusting the polymerization reaction conditions, such as reaction time, initiator dosage, etc.

7. Product packaging: Finally, package the purified polyethylene glycol 400 for storage and transportation.