The nonionic surfactant means non-ionizing in an aqueous solution, and its hydrophilic group is mainly composed of a certain number of oxygen-containing groups (generally an ether group and a hydroxyl group). Nonionic surfactant is superior to the ionic surfactant in some respects because it is not an ionic state in the solution, it has high stability and is not easily affected by the presence of strong electrolyte inorganic salts, compatible with other types of surfactants.

The nonionic surfactant does not dissociate when dissolved in water, and the lipophilic group in the molecule is substantially the same as the lipophilic group of the ionic surfactant, and the hydrophilic group mainly has a certain amount of oxygen. A group (such as a hydroxyl group and a polyoxyethylene chain) is composed. 

Most nonionic surfactants are in liquid and slurry state, and their solubility in water decreases with increasing temperature. Nonionic surfactants have good properties such as washing, dispersing, emulsifying, foaming, wetting, solubilizing, antistatic, leveling, anti-corrosion, sterilization and protection of colloids. They are widely used in textile, paper and food. , plastics, leather, fur, glass, petroleum, chemical fiber, medicine, pesticides, paints, dyes, fertilizers, film, photography, metal processing, mineral processing, building materials, environmental protection, cosmetics, fire and agriculture.