CITROFOL AI shows up across plenty of industries looking for a plasticizer that doesn’t bring along the baggage of hazardous phthalates. Coming from citric acid, this chemical stands out because it’s a safer choice in materials for food packaging, children’s toys, medical devices, and more. The physical presentation usually appears as a clear, oily liquid, making it easy to handle with pumps and standard chemical containers. What grabs most attention is its ability to blend into a range of raw ingredients, cutting through the stiffness that some polymers have without leaving behind strange odors or colors. Seeing it used in so many places has just as much to do with its trusted formula as with its convenience in daily manufacturing workflows.
The backbone of CITROFOL AI ties together citric acid and isobutanol, giving the molecular structure (C16H30O7). That structure isn’t just academic—seeing how the molecular shape cuts through other ingredients has made it useful outside the world of strict chemistry. Running a chemical plant myself, I think about specific gravity and density every day. Here, the density hovers around 1.05 g/cm³ at 20°C, a fact you notice right away when comparing it against more standard plasticizers. Water solubility stays on the low end, so spillage cleanup rarely means mopping up water-based solutions. Boiling point sits near 375°C, letting it ride out most polymer processing temperatures without breaking down or giving off dangerous fumes. Because it doesn’t freeze up until the thermometer ducks well below -20°C, it stores through winters and summer heat alike, reducing stress over warehouse conditions.
CITROFOL AI doesn’t show up as a crystal, powder, flake, or pearl—always as a true liquid. This matters every day for anybody unloading drums or filling mixing tanks. Solids like powders and flakes often float up and make a mess, while the liquid state keeps it neat, requiring less direct contact and leaving behind fewer dust clouds or spillage trails. Tanks, pipes, and valves seem built for liquids, so maintenance and operations run smoother. Measured by the liter, you get more out of shipping and inventory, with less energy burned moving the chemical around a production site.
The chemical formula, C16H30O7, shows CITROFOL AI as a triester, balancing flexibility in technical use with a structure gentle enough for products that come close to the skin or food. If you ship or import it, the HS Code links to 29181500, covering esters derived from citric acid. Getting the classification right avoids customs headaches and keeps supply chains moving. It’s the number I’ve looked up myself when double-checking a shipment’s paperwork or helping out a colleague new to chemical logistics. Manufacturers often provide technical datasheets outlining refractive index, acidity, and viscosity—all details that matter to project managers who rely on consistency in their final product. In a lab, tests show compatibility with PVC, PLA, and other bio-based plastics, which expands its use as green regulations keep tightening around plastic formulations.
In the real world of chemical storage, hazards and safety labels drive decisions on handling and protective measures. CITROFOL AI avoids many of the red danger symbols seen on older plasticizers. Classified as non-toxic under normal use and recognized by food contact regulations in Europe and the US, this chemical rarely requires more than standard gloves and basic eye protection. But nothing in a drum is harmless. Prolonged skin contact can sometimes cause irritation, especially with people prone to sensitivities. Factories and transit sites use spill kits as a catch-all, even if this liquid doesn’t run straight into waterways or storm drains. CITROFOL AI breaks down in the environment faster than most synthetic plasticizers, flagged as biodegradable on datasheets and by regulatory authorities, but spill control and careful storage still count. Transport always gets the UN number accompanied by classification under GHS safety schemes, so nobody is caught off guard by how to respond to a drum leak or accidental splash in the warehouse.
Everything about CITROFOL AI circles back to sourcing and raw material availability. Citric acid comes mostly from fermentation of sugars by Aspergillus niger, making it plentiful and renewable—something that drives both cost and environmental benefits. I’ve seen suppliers lean into this, shifting to batches made entirely from plant-sourced alcohols, which meets both industry and consumer ideas about cleaner chemistry. Price swings in agriculture occasionally bring disruptions, but resilience across the supply network keeps output steady. As regulations worldwide keep pressing for non-phthalate alternatives, demand steps up. Supply updates, cost impacts, and raw material availability factor into planning, from the executive boardroom to the production floor, focusing attention on risk assessment and supply security just as much as on laboratory tests and product development.
For companies searching safe, practical, and predictable plasticizers, CITROFOL AI’s mix of liquid form, environmental friendliness, and compatibility with a changing legal landscape gives it a real edge. Familiar faces on the manufacturing line benefit from fewer headaches moving, mixing, and storing this chemical. Communities and workers stay safer, while end users get products that edge out older, riskier materials. Companies and researchers should keep pushing for more sustainable sourcing and more robust waste management, but everyday use of CITROFOL AI already marks progress in bridging public health and industrial demands. Finding plastics or flexible materials with safe, straightforward chemistry matters for more than the balance sheet— it shapes workplaces, supply chains, and, in the long run, the environment itself.