The oleophilic groups of non-ionic surfactant molecules are fatty alcohols, alkyl phenols, fatty acids, aliphatic amines and fats, and their water solubility comes from the polyoxyethylene ether groups and hydroxyl groups in the molecules.

It is precisely because the non-ionic surfactant has the characteristics of non-ionization in water, which determines that it is superior to the ionic surfactant in some aspects, such as better solubility in water and organic solvents, high stability in solution, and not easily affected by strong electrolyte inorganic salts and acids and bases. Because of its good compatibility with other types of surfactants, it can often be well mixed and used.

Most of the non-ionic surfactants are in liquid and slurry states, and their solubility in water decreases with increasing temperature. Non-ionic surfactants have good washing, dispersing, emulsifying, foaming, wetting, solubilizing, antistatic, levelling, anti-corrosion, sterilization and protection of colloid and other properties. Widely used in textile, paper, food, plastics, leather, fur, glass, petroleum, chemical fiber, medicine, pesticides, coatings, dyes, fertilizers, film, photography, metal processing, mineral processing, building materials, environmental protection, cosmetics, fire and agriculture and other aspects.