Technical explainers on surfactant chemistry, biodegradability testing, feedstocks and EU regulation, written and reviewed by the PureSurf team.
Every article below links back to the bio-based surfactants pillar and across to related topics, so you can follow a topic in either direction.
Surfactant fundamentals
Start here for the physical chemistry a formulator or buyer needs before comparing grades.
- What are surfactants?Head group, tail, interfacial activity and the four charge classes explained from first principles.
- Critical micelle concentration (CMC)How the CMC is measured, why a lower value cuts dose, and how it drives cost per wash.
- Technical dataPublished PureSurf figures with their data-maturity status, from screening to final GLP.
- Surfactant glossaryDefinitions for CMC, HLB, interfacial tension, ready biodegradability and 60 more terms.
Surfactant classes
One page per charge class, each with structures, typical uses and the limits of the class.
- Anionic surfactantsThe foam and detergency workhorses, plus their hard-water and mildness limits.
- Non-ionic surfactantsUncharged grease removal, cloud point behaviour and hard-water robustness.
- Cationic surfactantsSoftening, antistatic and antimicrobial function, and the regulatory pressure on quats.
- Amphoteric surfactantspH-switching betaines that act as mild co-surfactants and viscosity builders.
- Bio-based amine oxideThe PureSurf amine oxide route, its CMC and interfacial tension data, and its use cases.
Biodegradability and test methods
What the OECD 301 series actually proves, and how to read a report without over-claiming.
Feedstock and sustainability
Where the carbon comes from, and how the sourcing claims can be verified.
- Bio-based surfactantsThe pillar overview: definitions, feedstocks, performance data and procurement criteria.
- Bio-based surfactants vs biosurfactantsTwo terms, two production routes, two very different cost and scale profiles.
- Lignocellulosic surfactantsWood and plant residues as the aromatic and sugar building blocks of surfactant chemistry.
- Palm-free surfactantsWhat the palm-free claim means, how EUDR and RSPO interact, and how to verify a supply chain.
- Circular economy chemistryResidue-based carbon, mass balance and what circularity means for a surfactant portfolio.
Regulation and sourcing
The compliance and procurement layer: what a European buyer has to document in 2026.
- EU Detergents Regulation (EU) 2026/405Biodegradability criteria, the digital product passport and digital labelling obligations.
- REACH-compliant surfactantsRegistration status, tonnage bands and the dossier evidence a buyer should request.
- Specialty surfactantsWhere specialty grades earn their premium against commodity surfactant chemistry.
- Fluorosurfactant alternativesReplacing PFAS-based wetting agents under the EU restriction roadmap.
- Frequently asked questionsShort answers on samples, data packages, scale-up and commercial terms.
Technical questions about a grade?
Our team sends data packages, test reports and samples for your evaluation.
