Sodium Lignosulfonate Grades Explained: How to Read Specs and Choose

Sodium lignosulfonate is sold in many grades, and the names alone say little. Two products called “sodium lignosulfonate” can differ in purity, sugar, insoluble matter, pH and calcium content, and those differences decide whether a grade works in your process. This guide explains each line of a technical data sheet (TDS), shows how our grades group, and suggests where to start for common applications.

All figures below are typical values from the Rev. 2.0 TDS of each grade, available in our sodium lignosulfonate document library and liquid lignosulfonate library. The batch COA gives the measured values for each shipment.

What Each Specification Line Means

Parameter	What it tells you	Why it matters	Range across our grades
Lignosulphonate content	The active part of the product	Higher content means more dispersing or binding power per kilogram	50% min (liquid grades) to 95% min, dry basis (Super Grade)
Reducing sugar	Wood sugars left from pulping	Sugars retard cement setting, darken colour and attract moisture	2% max (Food Grade) and 3.5% max (Light Color) up to around 20% (Ceramics Binder liquid)
Water-insoluble matter	Fibre, sand and other undissolved solids	Affects filters, spray nozzles and dispersion quality	0.5% max (Dispersant, Emulsifier, Super) up to 2.5% max (several liquid grades)
pH	Acidity or alkalinity of the solution	Compatibility with the rest of the formulation	4 – 6 (Grade Three) up to 9.0 – 13.0 (Grade Two, High Solubility)
Calcium & magnesium	Hardness ions carried in the product	Can cause precipitation or scaling in sensitive systems	Free of Ca/Mg (Free Ca, Mg Grade); 0.5% max for most grades
Water reducing capacity	Water reduction in a standard concrete test	A quick indicator for construction use	5% min (Grades Two, Three, High Solubility) to 8% min (Grade One, Construction and others)
Dry matter / solids	How much of the product is not water	Compare prices on the same basis	95% min for powders; 45% min for most liquids; 40% ± 2% for the retarder liquid

How the Grades Group

General purpose

Grade	pH	Insolubles	Reducing sugar	What sets it apart
Grade One (GAC-NaLS-1)	7.0 – 9.5	1.5% max	7% max	Main all-round grade; 55% min lignosulphonate (dry basis)
Grade Two (GAC-NaLS-2)	9.0 – 13.0	2% max	7% max	Alkaline
Grade Three (GAC-NaLS-3)	4 – 6	1.5% max	7% max	Acidic
High Solubility (GAC-NaLS-HS)	9.0 – 13.0	100% water solubility	7% max	Complete dissolution
Plus Grade (GAC-NaLS-PLUS)	8.0 – 10.5	1% max	7% max	Lower insolubles than Grade One

Construction

Grade	Key values	Use
Construction Grade	65% min lignosulphonate, 1% max insolubles, water reducing capacity 8% min	Concrete water reducer
Retarder Powder Grade	pH 9.0 – 11.0	Set retarder for ready-mix and mortar
Retarder Liquid (RetiLign)	40% ± 2% solids, pH 7.0 ± 3.0	Liquid set retarder
Plasterboard Grade	pH 7.0 – 9.5, 1.5% max insolubles	Water reducer in gypsum board

Binders

Grade	Key values	Use
Binder Grade (GAC-NaLS-Binder)	1.5% max insolubles, Brix 50% min	Powders, pellets and briquettes
Ceramics Binder (powder or liquid)	Powder 1.5% max insolubles; liquid sugar around 20%	Ceramic bodies and extrusion
Foundry Binder Grade	Same core specification as the Binder Grade	Foundry sand systems
Tech Bind Grade	pH 9 – 11, 1.5% max insolubles	Multi-use: ceramic tiles, resins, pellets, dust control, drilling mud
Adhesive Grade	Same core specification as the Binder Grade	Resin extension in wood adhesives

High-purity dispersants and emulsifiers

Grade	Key values	Use
Dispersant Grade (powder or liquid)	70% min lignosulphonate (dry basis), 0.5% max insolubles, 0.5% max Ca & Mg	Pesticides, dyes, concrete and ceramics
Dye & Pigment Dispersant Grade	Same core specification as the Dispersant Grade	Grinding and stabilising dyes and pigments
Emulsifier Grade	70% min lignosulphonate (dry basis), 0.5% max insolubles	Oil-and-water emulsions and suspensions
Super Grade	95% min lignosulphonate (dry basis), 0.5% max insolubles	Demanding dispersant and emulsifier uses

Low sugar and light colour

Grade	Key values	Use
Light Color	Light brown to yellowish powder, sugar 3.5% max, pH 6 – 8	Light-coloured admixtures, fertilizers
Light Color, Lower Sugar	Sugar 3.5% max, sodium 8 – 10%	Where low sugar and colour both matter
White Color Grade	White powder, pH 6.0 – 10.0, sulfur 5 – 10%	Where the product colour must not show

Application-specific

Grade	Key values	Use
Free Ca, Mg Grade	Free of calcium and magnesium, pH 7.0 – 10.5	Systems sensitive to hardness ions
Battery Expander Grade	Chloride 0.5% max, reducing sugar 5% max	Lead-acid negative plates
Leather Tanning Grade	60% min lignosulphonate, 1% max insolubles	Retanning and dye leveling
Agri Grade	pH 7.0 – 9.5, 1% max insolubles	Fertilizer and agrochemical formulations
Liquid Grades One, Two, Three	45% min solids; insolubles 1% max (One) or 2.5% max (Two, Three)	Dosing from tanks; see the liquid COA guide
Dust Control (liquid)	45% min solids, 1.5% max insolubles	Unpaved roads and industrial dust

Feed and food

Feed Grade (55% min lignosulfonate on a dry basis, 5% min sodium, 7% max reducing sugar, 15% max ash), Liquid Feed Grade (55% min lignosulfonate on a dry basis), and Food Grade (90 – 95% min sodium lignosulfonate, 2% max reducing sugar, with heavy-metal limits) are made for regulated uses. Check the rules in your market before use: lignosulfonate regulatory status.

Where to Start by Application

Application	Prioritise	Grades to trial first	Supplier-recommended starting trial range
Concrete water reducer	Water reducing capacity, sugar	Construction Grade, Grade One	0.20 – 0.30% of cement weight
Set retarding	Controlled retardation	Retarder Powder or Liquid	0.1 – 0.5% of cement weight (powder)
Dye and pigment dispersion	Low insolubles, high purity	Dye & Pigment Dispersant, Super	2 – 8% of dye or pigment solids
Wood adhesive extension	Binder specification	Adhesive Grade	5 – 15% of resin solids replaced, dry basis
Leather retanning	Purity, colour	Leather Tanning Grade	1.0 – 4.0% on shaved weight
Lead-acid battery expander	Chloride, insolubles	Battery Expander Grade	0.10 – 0.50% of lead oxide
Pellets, briquettes, ore fines	Binding strength, cost	Binder Grade, Grade One	Set by pellet strength trials
Hard-water or ion-sensitive systems	Calcium and magnesium	Free Ca, Mg Grade	Set by formulation trials

Full grade details and supply: sodium lignosulfonate grades at LigninCorp. General properties: sodium lignosulfonate properties.

Comparing Offers

1. Compare on the same basis: dry matter versus as-is, and lignosulphonate content on a dry basis.
2. Check that both suppliers use the same test methods for sugar and insolubles.
3. Ask for a recent batch COA as well as the TDS. See the COA guide.
4. Trial a sample in your own process before the first order.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between sodium lignosulfonate grades?

Mainly purity (lignosulphonate content), reducing sugar, insoluble matter, pH and calcium and magnesium. These come from how far the pulping liquor is purified and set where each grade works.

Which sodium lignosulfonate grade is used in concrete?

A construction or general-purpose grade with a water reducing capacity of 8% min. Our Construction Grade has 65% min lignosulphonate and 1% max insolubles.

Which grade has the lowest sugar?

Among our grades, the Food Grade lists 2% max reducing sugar and the Light Color grades list 3.5% max sugar. General-purpose grades list 7% max.

Which grade has the lowest insoluble matter?

The Dispersant, Emulsifier and Super Grades list 0.5% max water-insoluble matter.

Is a higher lignosulphonate content always better?

No. It costs more and is only needed where dispersing power or purity matters. For binders and dust control, a general-purpose grade is usually enough.