Super surfactants: GreenCentre licenses Gemini Surfactant technology to RAN Chemicals
The class of compounds known as surfactants is a critical component in a large variety of consumer products, including cleaners, personal care products and paints, and in industrial processes such as oil and gas exploration. After use, however, surfactants often end up in our environment. Consequently, there is a need to enhance the sustainability of this $24B market through the design and commercialization of surfactants with increased efficiency, biodegradability, and little to no eco-toxicity.
Enter Dr. Gerrard Marangoni, a professor of chemistry at St. Francis Xavier University, and Dr. Bruce Grindley from Dalhousie University, who have developed a type of Gemini Surfactants, which are so-called because their molecular structure is double-ended. This makes them much more versatile and effective in smaller amounts than traditional surfactants.
Testing showed that even at significantly lower amounts, these surfactants perform as well as existing surfactants at larger loadings, as well as having a wide range of properties. Smaller amount of surfactant means reduced production and shipping costs and a smaller environmental footprint. These greener surfactants also improve the toxicity profile of the processes they underpin and can be biodegradable.
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