Synthesis and Performance of 100% Biobased Reversable Surfactants

Surfactants, widely recognized as one of the most extensively utilized chemical families worldwide, play a pivotal role not only in consumer products like cleaners, cosmetics, and pesticides but also serve vital industrial purposes in sectors such as chemical, petrochemical, nuclear, and food industries. Given the massive usage and resultant waste of surfactants daily, their biodegradability and biocompatibility are essential for environmental protection and human health. Therefore, the development and application of 100% biobased surfactants as alternatives to those derived from petrochemicals are of significant benefit. This study presents the development and analysis of a completely biobased surfactant made from protein (specifically, egg white) and natural plant extracts (namely, octanal and decanal). We found that these surfactants exhibit surface energies of 27.6 mN/m and 37.6 mN/m for the protein/octanal and protein/decanal systems, respectively. Additionally, these surfactants are capable of reverting to their original components (protein and plant extracts) under acidic conditions, further enhancing their environmental friendliness and safety for health.