CHAIN ALKYL POLYGLYCOSIDES - A NEW-GENERATION OF EMULSIFIERS

Alkyl polyglycosides (APG(R)) are a new category of mild carbohydrate- derived surfactants. The industrial manufacturing processes are based upon the ''Fischer Glycosidation''. The surfactant properties of the g lycosides with alkyl chains from octyl to tetradecyl are well characte rised. They are commercially available as pale coloured aqueous pastes . The best performance as O/W emulsifiers however is shown by products with alkyl chains from sixteen to eighteen carbon atoms. The physical properties of these long chain alkyl polyglycosides made it necessary to develop a new manufacturing process. This process yields a white s olid product which consists of approx. 30 wt.% glycos ides and 70 wt.% fatty alcohol. The glycosides herein are an efficient nonionic emulsi fier and the fatty alcohol is a well known consistency provider and co -emulsifier. With respect to international standard test methods (OECD ), the compound is readily biodegradable and it shows a very good skin compatibility in a dermatological investigation. On account of the pe rformance and the high quality, regarding the light colour and the goo d odour, this self-emulsifying compound is particularly appropriate to cosmetic lotions and creams.