“In addition to being plant-based, we have specifically tried to design this material to know where degradation begins, but it is stable during use. [enabling] “We’ve seen a lot of effort into making it a great place to go,” said Jeffrey Youngblood, professor of materials engineering at Purdue University.
Researchers’ commitment to sustainability was central to the launch of the project. “We are generally interested in sustainable materials and surfactants,” Youngblood told CosmeticsDesign. “We were originally trying to design surfactants with known environmental destinies, but have good shelf life using enzymatically cleaved amide chains.”
Due to limited availability of bio-based alternatives, the choice of cationic surfactants poses unique challenges. “Our main challenge was to try and achieve the required properties using only bio-based precursors. It wasn’t easy, but in the end we found some options. ” said Professor Youngblood, who worked with Carlos Martinez, Associate Professor of Materials Engineering at Purdue on the project.
Performance and compatibility
Lab tests have proven that soy-based surfactants are competitive with petroleum-based options. “Overall, performance from a surface science perspective (CMC, surface tension, etc.) is very competitive with the commercial surfactants we tested in the CTAB Quat Homologue series,” Youngblood said. Masu. “In some cases, semi-bio-based actually did better.”
Despite the promising lab results, researchers emphasized the need for further testing. “We still need more application-specific testing because we don’t know how it works in the real world.”
The team also investigated the possibility that these surfactants could be used as direct alternatives to existing products. “When I made this claim, it means that I can especially stop by the CTAB series in terms of CMC and surface tension,” Youngblood said. “But I really don’t know about the feel, its antibacterial properties, or other user experience factors.
Sustainability and environmental impact
“In addition to being plant-based, we have specifically tried to design this material to know where the deterioration begins, but it is stable during use,” Youngblood explained. . This intentional design is intended to help predict decomposition paths and minimize environmental impacts.
“Our idea was that if molecules are common in biology, they aren’t that bad,” he continued. “This concept extends to overall toxicity. If degraded products are known, they can have a good toxicity profile. Of course, the approach should be validated with some ecotoxicity tests. .”
Potential Applications and Industry Adoption
The team has yet to identify specific personal care applications, but Youngblood is seeing possibilities in existing markets. “To be honest, I don’t know,” he admitted.
“We haven’t tested this aspect, but if CTAB series surfactants or analogs are useful, this could probably work in that application space.”
Regarding industry adoption, Youngblood noted that the study is still in its early stages. “We hope we’ve gotten effervescent quickly and have been discussing basic ecotoxicity,” he said. “We are also working on quantifying the effects on keratin-like surfaces, which could be important for personal care products.”
Youngblood does not directly involve commercial routes, but it sees a broader meaning. “In the end, we are only surfactant researchers, not businessmen,” he shared. “However, from a viewpoint of degradation and environmental fate, we believe that potential surfactants will be an effective way to design new surfactants using as many bio-based content as possible. It’s there.”
For personal care brands and formulaters interested in exploring this technology, collaboration could drive future applications and market preparation. “We’re embracing the discussion and want to see where this can go next,” Youngblood concluded.
