Oleo-furan surfactants as fully biorenewable, carcinogen-free drop-in replacements for commercial anionic surfactants

Abstract

Surfactants are versatile and ubiquitous chemical compounds that find application in everything from laundry detergents to pharmaceuticals. Commercial production of anionic surfactants, which provide the foaming and soil removal properties consumers have come to enjoy in their cleaning and personal care products, is at the highest production volumes focused on several surfactants. These include the petrochemical-derived surfactant linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS), as well as the partially biorenewable surfactant sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES) which has recently been the target of regulations due to the carcinogenic byproduct 1,4-dioxane. Oleo-furan sulfonate surfactants developed by Sironix Renewables provide a fully biorenewable anionic surfactant alternative without the carcinogenic byproducts, with performance in application testing which rivals or exceeds that of LAS and SLES, particularly in challenging application conditions such as with hard water. Recent developments in Sironix’s research have identified unique and finely-tuned surfactant structures that provide a combination of desired properties with application across a wide range of applications, including exhibiting superior foaming compared to LAS or SLES with a less irritating effect on the skin. Oleo-furan surfactants have exceptional solubility, allowing for formulation of more concentrated consumer products; the surfactants can also be produced and shipped in powder form, allowing for reduced fuel use during transportation and a resulting decrease in product cost and lifecycle carbon emissions. Herein, we provide an overview of the properties for oleo-furan surfactants with comparison to commercial anionic surfactants and take a closer look at how costs and carbon emissions can be reduced by their substitution. We also discuss ongoing research at Sironix to produce oleo-furan surfactants from domestic and abundant biomass sources, including sources that are non-food competitive and those derived from agricultural waste.