Detergents from renewable resources
Sugar based surfactants
Ingegärd Johansson
AkzoNobel Surface Chemistry
Sustainable chemistry 2030
Five companies with a common vison for the future:”2030 Stenungsund is the centre for production of sustainable products within the chemical industry. Our activity is based on renewable raw materials and energy and contributes to a sustainable society.
Earlier, now and in the future
2030• Only renewable raw material• All products contribute to sustainable development• All plastics we produce are recovered• West coast net for district heating and cooling • Biogas, bioethanol och biohydrogen is produced
2010• More raw material from renewable sources• Goals for lower output of CO2• District heating well established• Recovery of material and more sustainable products
1990•Raw material from fossil sources• Higher output per kilo produced•Lower demands from the environment and shorter lifetime for the products
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Surface active agents = Surfactants
Hydrophilic Hydrophobic
Likes water Likes oil
Surfactants derived from renewable sources
Hydrophilic Hydrophobic
Carboxylic group
Glycerol, saccharides, phosphate, ammonia, urea,
Ethylene oxide from bio-ethanol
Fatty acids, alcohols, lignins, steroids, lecithins
protein hydrolysates
Alkyl (poly) glucosides
Hydrophilic Hydrophobic
Glucose
(from starch or cellulose)
Fatty alcohols
(from fatty acids i.e. from “fat”)
Classical synthesis of Alkyl Classical synthesis of Alkyl Glucosides, ”Fischer Glucosides, ”Fischer
glucosidation”glucosidation”
Work-up procedure for industrial (Fischer)
glucosidation
Neutralization, NaOH + Na2CO3
Evaporation of the excess alcohol (reused), risk for discoloration (caramellization and Maillard reaction)
Dissolution in suitable medium Bleach with alkaline hydrogen peroxide,
risk for oxidized by-products
By-products at AG-By-products at AG-productionproduction
Dealkylation and polymerization of glucose give poly saccharides
Dehydratization, gives unsaturated products e.g. hydroxymethyl furaldehyde, which may polymerize to coloured complex products
Oxidation of OH-functions give carboxylic acids. These may react with alcohol under acidic conditions resulting in esters. Under alkaline conditions, e.g. when being bleached, these get hydrolyzed and pH will go down.
Need for an enzymatic process?
Stereo specificity? Excess alcohol to avoid
polymerization? Easier work-up procedure? Are there enzymes capable of doing
this?
Greenchem results? Stereospecific syntheses works Difficult to get an efficient process with
cheap raw material Focus on specialties for specific purposes Ex. Long chain glucosides as emulsifiers
and solubilizers Applications interesting for AstraZeneca