Surfactants from Renewable Raw Materials

Surfactants are often completely invisible to us and yet they are present in almost every chemical that we use in our daily life. They are found in toothpastes, cosmetics, sunscreens, mayonnaise, detergents, and an array of cleaning products. Traditional surfactants are known to have adverse environmental impacts spurring research into eco-friendly and cost-effective surfactants from renewable resources. Surfactants from Renewable Raw Materials examines the class of surfactants synthesized using plant-based raw materials detailing their properties, applications, bioavailability, and biodegradability. The concluding chapter reviews patent activity over the last decade.

Additional features include:

• Addresses the tremendous variation found in the raw materials used to synthesize commercially available surfactants.
• Explores the selection of raw materials based upon the desired hydrophobic group or hydrophilic group to be incorporated into the product.
• Examines the characteristics and medicinal applications of pulmonary surfactants in preterm babies as well as their probable contribution in COVID-19
• Discusses the biodegradability of surfactants to assist with the determination of truly green surfactants.

This comprehensive reference will prove indispensable for professional and academic researchers creating or working with bio-based surfactants.