White powder; Melting point 622°C; Easily soluble in water; It has got salient chelating capacity to ions of Ca and Mg etc. and can soften hard water to make suspension solution become into clear solution; It has got weak alkalinity but no corrosiveness. It is a surfactant, and has got outstanding emulsification to lubricants and fat. It has different bulk density, i.e. low density 0.35-0.5g/cm3, medium density 0.51-0.65g/cm3 and high density 0.66-0.9g/cm3. This product has two crystalline forms, namely Type I (high temperature type) and Type II (low temperature type). The chemical properties of the two types are the same, and the difference between them lies in the thermostability, hygroscopicity, solubility and hydration heat when dissolving .

Used as one of the main auxiliaries for synthetic detergent, synergist for soap; water softener, tanning agent for leather making, auxiliary for dyeing; As an effective dispersion agent for suspension solutions of coatings, kaolin, magnesium oxide, calcium carbonate and drilling mud etc.; As an oil contamination resistance agent in paper production. In foodstuff industry it is used as quality improver in the process of canned food, fruit juice drinks, foodstuffs from milk or soybeans. It may tender the meat in canned ham and soften the skin of horse bean in canned horse bean. It may also serves as a softener or densifier in foodstuff industry.