Biobased Surfactants: Overview and Industrial State of the Art

Abstract Fatty acyl groups from oilseeds (e.g., palm, palm kernel and coconut, other oils, and algae), animal fats, and their derivatives (e.g., fatty alcohols and amines); carbohydrates, proteins, extractives, and their derivatives; and other biorefinery coproducts (e.g., glycerol and extractives) are major components of biobased surfactants. The latter is a growing sector of the surfactants and detergent market (approximately 25%, per a 2017 estimate), due to increased demand by consumers and users. Unlike surfactants derived from fossil fuels, their production and use generate less carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas (GHG) attributable to climate change. Application areas include foods, cosmetics, household detergents, personal care products, pharmaceuticals, paints and coatings, and other industrial sectors. This chapter reviews feedstocks for biobased surfactants and sustainability-related aspects of their life cycle (including ecolabels) and describes the synthesis, properties, and applications of several different cationic, anionic, amphoteric, and nonionic biobased surfactants.