This chemical is widely used in biochemical research, particularly in the solubilization and stabilization of membrane proteins. It is effective in extracting integral membrane proteins from cell membranes without denaturing them, making it a valuable tool for studying protein structure and function. Additionally, it is employed in the formation of lipid bilayers and micelles, which are essential for various biophysical and biochemical studies. Its mild detergent properties also make it suitable for use in crystallization experiments, aiding in the growth of high-quality protein crystals for X-ray crystallography. Furthermore, it is utilized in electrophoresis and chromatography techniques to enhance the separation and analysis of complex biological samples.