Global chemicals and energy company Sasol Chemicals – a business unit of Sasol – has launched a range of biosurfactants for the personal and home care sectors.
The first two products launched would be Carinex and Livinex, the company said on 23 October.
Sasol said Carinex would target the personal care market, while Livinex would be aimed at the home care, technical, institutional and industrial cleaning sectors.
Both products were fully biodegradable and could act as detergents, dispersants, emulsifiers, foaming agents or wetting agents in daily personal care products, such as shampoos and conditioners, as well as detergents, degreasers and other products in cleaning and technical applications, the company said.
The development of the new products followed the formation of a partnership last March between Sasol Chemicals and UK biotech start-up Holiferm to develop sophorolipids, a fermentation-derived biosurfactant, as an alternative to traditional surfactants.
Using Holiferm’s proprietary technology, Sasol said its sophorolipids were produced from natural palm-free oils and/or sugars.
“Combining Holiferm’s advanced technology with Sasol’s … chemistry and global reach, we can now offer our customers mass produced, high performing and more sustainable solutions,” Sasol Chemicals senior vice president Eric Stouder said.
South Africa-based Sasol Chemicals offers a portfolio of speciality chemicals for a wide range of applications and industries.
