Bisoctyldimethylammonium Chloride appears as a versatile compound, often found among chemical ingredients in industrial formulations and cleaning materials. Its utility spans across wastewater treatment, disinfectant manufacturing, and specialty chemical production. This compound presents a formula of C18H41ClN, which points to a structure centered around two octyl hydrocarbon chains attached to a dimethylammonium functional group, paired with a chloride ion. You often come across it in various physical forms—flecks, crystalline powder, thick paste, and sometimes clear liquid, shaped by processing methods and customer application.
The molecular mass for Bisoctyldimethylammonium Chloride sits near 303.98 g/mol, offering enough heft to be viable as both a solid and when dissolved in aqueous solutions. Density commonly registers near 0.9 to 1.1 g/cm³, though shifts in ambient humidity or formulation purity tweak these numbers. This compound does not dissolve well in cold water but performs far better with moderate heat or when paired with co-solvents; this behavior impacts not just lab practices but also real-world utility in detergent blends and emulsion stabilizers. Flakes, powder, pearls, and crystal variants show up regularly in bulk orders due to differing handlers’ preferences for storage, transport, and blending. The substance maintains a strong, sometimes waxy odor—an indicator of its hydrocarbon roots. Handling this material in solid or liquid form demands gloves and eye protection to guard against irritation.
Looking at the molecular structure, two octyl groups attach to a nitrogen center, bridged by two methyl groups, and this arrangement stabilizes the positive charge, with chloride counterbalancing. This architecture lets the molecule line up nicely at surfaces, which proves useful for disrupting microbial membranes or capturing oil-based contaminants. This quality turns up often in sanitation products but also pops up in specialty textile treatments or antistatic agents for polymers—anywhere a little extra surface action is required. Market offerings range from nearly pure crystalline forms intended for research to 50% or higher concentrated liquids meant for industrial-scale blending into disinfectant and cleaner recipes.
Industry specifications typically call for a clear identification by the CAS number 73049-75-9. The HS Code for international shipping and customs purposes falls under 2921.19, nested in the chapter for quaternary ammonium salts. Purity standards swing between 95% to 99%, depending on the application, with lower purities still showing up where bulk reactivity, not fine detail, matters most. Solubility specs and moisture content make a real difference for downstream users, as do granule size and packing density, since physical handling during mixing can slow down production or cause quality hiccups.
Most safety data sheets flag Bisoctyldimethylammonium Chloride as hazardous when mishandled. Concerns focus on the potential for skin, eye, or respiratory irritation; inhaling powder or vapor exposes users to discomfort. Compared to many industrial chemicals, acute risks are moderate, but chronic exposure or accidental ingestion brings elevated risk. Regulatory authorities in multiple regions require clear labeling as a harmful agent, especially given its ability to linger on surfaces. It poses more risk to aquatic environments than to humans if containment falters, so wastewater treatment facilities and manufacturers deploy closed-loop handling and store bulk quantities in corrosion-resistant drums or HDPE containers.
Production processes for Bisoctyldimethylammonium Chloride call for readily available feedstocks: octyl alcohols, methylamines, and hydrochloric acid. Manufacturers build supply chains around petrochemical plants and ammonia processing facilities, rooting access to raw material in big energy, oil, and chemical sectors. Companies look for high consistency to ensure reliable output; even slight contaminants in starting materials can impact the surfactant’s performance in high-precision roles. Producers in China, Europe, and the US dominate global supply, and they pass on purity assurance through certificates accompanying each shipment.
As a quaternary ammonium compound, this material combines oil-loving and water-loving characteristics. It draws dirt and microbes off surfaces and keeps them suspended, which is why you spot it on ingredient lists for hospital disinfectants, floor cleaners, and some personal care additives. Recent years have seen growing interest in swapping harsher biocides for solutions anchored in Bisoctyldimethylammonium Chloride—both to cut down on corrosive fumes and balance regulatory tightening on workplace volatile organic compounds. In textile treatment, it helps fibers resist static electricity and shrug off grime, while electronics manufacturers sometimes rely on its antistatic ability to manage dust and particle build-up in assembly plants.
Users in manufacturing must train staff on safe protocols: proper storage, ventilation, and basic first aid in the event of accidental splash or inhalation. Plant managers deploy strict documentation and keep spill kits on hand to manage small-scale leaks. For environmental management, treatment plants run extra filtration and watch discharge levels, since aquatic toxicity represents the greatest threat. The long-term outlook sees more push for biodegradable alternatives, better engineering controls, and product stewardship programs to keep this chemical useful, but not uncontrolled, in the industries that depend on it.
