PHMG - Polyhexamethylene Guanidine

I. Product Information

Product Name Polyhexamethylene Guanidine Hydrochloride

Synonyms PHMG / PHGC

Chemical Name Polyhexamethylene Guanidine Hydrochloride

English Name polyhexamethyleneguanidine hydrochloride

Molecular Formula (C₇H₁₅N₃)ₘ·(HCl)ₙ, m/n=1～2

Molecular Weight 1000～3000 (Average)

CAS No. 57028-96-3

EC Number 27083-27-8 (Related)

II. Product Properties

Property	Description
Appearance	White amorphous powder or resinous polymer (pure); colorless to pale yellow transparent liquid (25% aqueous solution)
Antimicrobial Spectrum	Broad-spectrum efficacy against Gram-positive/negative bacteria, fungi, yeast, and viruses; >99.98% kill rate in 1 minute
Mechanism	① Cationic polymer adsorbs anionic microorganisms, inhibiting cell division; ② Forms film blocking respiratory channels causing asphyxiation
Stability	High chemical stability; antimicrobial efficacy increases with polymerization degree, significantly superior to low-molecular-weight guanidines (e.g., chlorhexidine)
Solubility	Highly soluble in water; compatible with anionic, non-ionic, and cationic surfactants

Physical & Chemical Data:

Boiling Point (25% solution): 102～103℃
Relative Density (20℃, 25% solution): 1.045～1.055
pH (20℃, 25% solution): 5.0～7.0
Solid Content: 25% (standard commercial grade)
Residual Hexamethylenediamine: Not detected

III. Quality Specifications

Test Item	Specification	Method
Appearance	White amorphous powder or resinous polymer (pure) / Colorless to pale yellow transparent liquid (25% solution)	Visual
Solid Content	25.0%±1.0% (aqueous solution)	Gravimetric
pH (25% solution)	5.0～7.0	pH Meter
Average Molecular Weight	1000～3000	GPC
Relative Density (20℃)	1.045～1.055	Densitometry
Residual Hexamethylenediamine	Not detected	HPLC
Heavy Metals (as Pb)	≤0.002%	Colorimetric
Arsenic (As)	≤0.0001%	AAS
Identification	IR spectrum matches reference standard	FTIR

Note: Custom concentrations (25%, 50%) and molecular weight grades available upon request.

IV. Antimicrobial Performance (Bactericidal Efficacy)

Microorganism	Contact Time	Kill Rate/%	Test Conditions
E. coli	1min	99.98	(22±1)℃, positive control 6.53×10⁶ cfu/mL
E. coli	2min	100	As above
E. coli	5min	100	As above
E. coli	10min	100	As above
S. aureus	1min	99.99	Positive control 5.40×10⁶～7.74×10⁶ cfu/mL
S. aureus	2min	100	As above
S. aureus	5min	100	As above
S. aureus	10min	100	As above
C. albicans	1min	99.99	Positive control 6.85×10⁶ cfu/mL
C. albicans	2min	100	As above
C. albicans	5min	100	As above
C. albicans	10min	100	As above

Note: PHGC demonstrates excellent antimicrobial activity: >99.98% kill rate against E. coli, S. aureus, and C. albicans within 1 minute; 100% kill within 2 minutes. Effective inhibition of Staphylococcus, Salmonella, and Escherichia. Concentration 0.001%～0.1% for 5-10 minutes provides excellent bactericidal efficacy.

V. Applications

1. Water Treatment & Public Health

Drinking water disinfection: tap water, well water, spring water sterilization and algae control
Swimming pools/lakes/ponds: water body sterilization and algae removal
Cooling towers/fountains: industrial circulating water system treatment
Wastewater treatment: used as flocculant
Water supply/drainage/heating pipelines: sterilization treatment with minimal human toxicity

2. Beverage & Food Processing

Beverage industry: production equipment and pipeline disinfection
Food processing: workshop environment and equipment surface sanitation

3. Petroleum & Industrial

Petroleum extraction: oil well and water injection system biocide
Livestock facilities: agricultural breeding environment disinfection
Metal corrosion: weak corrosion to stainless steel, copper, and carbon steel

4. Textile & Paper

Textile industry: fiber and fabric antimicrobial finishing
Paper industry: pulp preservation and antimicrobial paper treatment
Dosage: 0.01%～2.0% (paper surface antimicrobial treatment)

5. Wood & Building Materials

Wood processing: antiseptic and anti-mold treatment
Cement mortar: cement-sand-water-PHMG mortar (0.01%～2% of cement weight) effectively prevents biodeterioration caused by fungi and microorganisms

6. Agriculture

Agricultural biocide: crop protection and soil disinfection

7. Household & Medical Cleaning

Disinfectant formulation: PHMG (7.0%～9.0%), alkyl diphenylamine chloride (9.0%～11.0%), coconut fatty acid diethanolamide (1.0%), ethanol (18.0%～22.0%), ammonium chloride (5.0%), citric acid (12.0%)
Applications: medical items, disinfection washing equipment, tableware, linen cleaning and disinfection

8. Footwear & Leather

Antimicrobial insoles: PHMG-containing insoles and foot adhesives as bactericide and antifungal agent; prevents foot mycosis, reduces pathogenic fungi on skin without altering skin microbiome

9. Cultural Heritage Conservation

Artifact preservation: antifungal agent for conservation of prints and manuscripts, preventing biodeterioration

10. Composite Materials

Antimicrobial guanidine clay: PHGC combined with alkaline clay via hydrogen bonding; applied in starch/PVA composite films
Performance: 99% kill rate against E. coli; optimal addition 2%; increases tensile strength by 60% and elongation at break by 29%; exhibits clear inhibition zones

VI. Regulatory Compliance & Safety

Certification/Regulation	Details
Toxicity Data	Acute oral LD₅₀ (mice): >10,000 mg/kg body weight (practically non-toxic)
Skin Irritation	Rabbit skin irritation index: 0; irritation level: non-irritant
Skin Sensitization	Very weak skin sensitization in guinea pigs
Genotoxicity	No micronucleus induction in mouse bone marrow polychromatic erythrocytes
Polymer Safety	High-molecular-weight polymers poorly absorbed by animal tissues; toxicity decreases with increasing polymerization degree; minimal effect on higher organism cells
Metal Corrosion	Weak corrosion to stainless steel, copper, and carbon steel
Environmental Properties	Low toxicity, non-irritating, non-sensitizing, biodegradable

Safety Advantages:

Increasing polymerization degree → decreasing toxicity → minimal effect on higher organism cells
Increasing polymerization degree → increasing antimicrobial efficacy → high efficiency with low toxicity
Superior safety and efficacy compared to low-molecular-weight guanidines (e.g., chlorhexidine)

VII. Packaging & Storage

Packaging: 25kg/drum (25% solution) / 20kg/fiber drum (pure powder); custom sizes available

Storage: Cool, dry place (≤25°C), sealed, away from light; avoid strong alkalis and oxidizers

Shelf Life: 24 months (sealed)

Transport: General chemical; handle with care to prevent damage

VIII. Key Advantages

Rapid kill: >99.98% in 1 minute; 100% kill of E. coli, S. aureus, and C. albicans in 2 minutes
Superior safety: Acute oral LD₅₀ >10,000 mg/kg (practically non-toxic); skin irritation index 0 (non-irritant); very weak sensitization
Polymer efficiency: Higher polymerization → lower toxicity + higher efficacy (dual advantage)
Broad spectrum: Complete kill of bacteria, fungi, yeast, and viruses
Metal-friendly: Weak corrosion to stainless steel, copper, carbon steel; suitable for industrial equipment
Wide applications: Covers water treatment, food, petroleum, textile, paper, wood, agriculture, medical, heritage conservation, and composites
Synergistic effect: Combined with EDTA salts shows synergistic antimicrobial effect without metal corrosion or deformation