Development of amino acid-based surfactants: from synthesis to applications

The diversity of both natural and non-natural amino acids provides a strong foundation for the synthesis of a wide array of surfactants and offers the possibility to control the interactions at interfaces and within self-assembly processes. This review provides an overview of the latest developments of amino acid-based surfactant over the past decade, with a particular focus on the past five years. A detailed overview of the synthesis is first given, and physicochemical properties of surfactants derived from both standard amino acids, and non-natural amino acids are discussed. From enhancing foaming to controlling rheological properties, these surfactants meet a wide range of application-specific requirements. This is illustrated in various fields, such as drug delivery or mineral ore flotation . Although single amino acid derivatives have been deeply explored, surfactants based on multiple amino acids are also discussed for the new possibilities in self-assembly and potential various applications they offer.