Magnificent molecules

Polyethylene glycol

By 2011-03-01T07:17:00

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PEG pervades our society

Polyethylene glycol, PEG, is a polymer made up of many ethylene glycol units strung together in a chain. It has a huge number of uses and can be found throughout our daily life.

PEG molecules can be of any length desired, depending on how many repeating units are in each chain. Short chains of low molecular weight are colourless, viscous, liquids and long chains of high molecular weight are white, waxy, solids. Typically PEG is highly soluble in water, odourless and non-toxic.

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