Polyalkylene glycol ethers, also fatty alcohol polyglycol ethers, are non-ionic surfactants. The lipophilic part of these surfactants consists of fatty alcohols, the hydrophilic part forms short-chain polyethylene glycols (polyoxyethylene). The general formula of polyalkylene glycol ethers is: CH3(-CH2-)m (-O-CH2-CH2-)nOH. In the formula, m is the number of C atoms in the alkyl chain. n is the average number of ethylene oxide units per mole, it is indicated in brackets in the substance name, e.g. "polyoxyethylene (4) lauryl ether = laureth-4.
The alcohols used as fatty alcohols are those derived from lauric acid (laureth), stearic acid (steareth), oleic acid (oleth) and others.