What is glycolic acid

What is glycolic acid

Glycolic acid is a collective name for a group of well-known chemicals, including fruit acids or alpha-hydroxy acids. It is isolated from sucrose, so it can be considered a natural product. Citric acid, taken from oranges and other citrus fruits, can also be classified as glycolic acid.

Industrial uses of glycolic acid include rust and stain removal, so skin comes into contact with this chemical (commercially available in concentrations above 70%).

Glycolic Acid Uses:

1. Chemical cleaning: 70% glycolic acid solution is mainly used as a cleaning agent, 2% glycolic acid and 1% formic acid mixed acid is a high-efficiency and low-cost cleaning agent, which can be used as air conditioners, boilers, power plant transmission pipelines , condenser, heat exchanger and other main cleaning raw materials.

2. Biodegradable materials: It is widely used in the preparation of implanted sustained-release drug systems, implanted repair devices, bioabsorbable surgical sutures, artificial bones and organ materials, etc., and has great development prospects. Polylactic acid and polyglycolic acid have become the focus of development in the field of new materials.

3. Bactericide: Because glycolic acid contains a special structure of hydroxyl and carboxyl groups, it can form a hydrophilic chelate with metal cations through coordination bonds, so it has a significant inhibitory effect on the growth of iron-oxidizing bacteria and can be used as a bactericide. It can also be used as an inhibitor in the flotation of various ores.

4. Daily chemicals: 99% glycolic acid is a good medicine for removing dead skin and hair. It can synthesize fruit acid, which is a raw material for anti-aging and whitening cosmetics, and can achieve the effects of moisturizing, moisturizing and promoting epidermal renewal. The molecular weight of glycolic acid is very small, it can effectively penetrate the skin pores, and solve problems such as skin aging, wrinkles, dark spots, and acne in a short time, so it is unanimously praised by the medical beauty industry.

5. Electroplating surface treatment: Glycolic acid can also be used in electroplating industry, sodium and potassium glycolate can be used as electroplating additives, and can also be used as green chemical raw materials for electroplating grinding, metal pickling, leather dyeing and tanning preparations. Glycolic acid is also a complexing agent for electroless nickel plating. It has the advantages of corrosion resistance, fast reaction and good finish. It is the best raw material for improving the quality of electroless nickel plating.

In addition, glycolic acid in the textile industry can be used as a cross-linking coupling agent for dyeing and finishing wool fibers and cellulose fabrics or a cross-linking catalyst for carboxy-containing fiber fabrics; it can also be used as a binder, petroleum demulsifier, welding agent and coating ingredients. And the synthesis of a variety of medicines, pesticides and chemical additives.