For many years we have been exploring the concept of engineering new surfactants using novel bio-based technologies. Sustainable products from renewable sources have been around for many years, but the majority have very limited functionality in terms of performance compared to synthetic countertypes. Our remit was to develop a range of biobased products that offer comparable performance against the synthetic products across many applications.

Anionic surfactants are negatively charged materials that are available in a variety of chemical types. The main classes being alkyl ether sulfates, alkyl sulfates, alkylbenzene sulfonates, alpha olefin sulfonates, phosphate esters. They are used in a wide range of applications where they provide useful characteristics including, emulsification, solubilisation, wetting, detergency, dispersion and foaming.

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Nonionic surfactants carry no electrical charge and are available in a variety of chemical types. The main classes are alcohol ethoxylates, alcohol ethoxylates/propoxylates, ethylene oxide-propylene oxide copolymers, castor oil ethoxylates, amine ethoxylates, fatty acid esters and their ethoxylates. They are used in a wide range of applications where they provide useful characteristics including  emulsification, solubilisation, wetting, dispersion, detergency, foaming and defoaming.

Amphoteric surfactants can carry a positive or negative charge depending on pH, whereas cationic surfactants carry a positive charge. There are a number of chemical types for amphoteric surfactants including betaines, amidopropyl betaines, alkylamino dipropionates. They are used in a wide range of applications where they provide useful characteristics such as foaming, solubilisation, antistatic.

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