April 4th, 2022
Clariant has unveiled its new Vita 100 percent bio-based surfactants and polyethylene glycols (PEGs). These aim to directly address climate change by helping remove fossil carbon from the value chain.
The introduction of 100 percent bio-based surfactants and PEGs significantly expands Clariant’s Vita designated ingredients. Vita products are based on renewable feedstocks and have at least a 98 percent Renewable Carbon Index (RCI).
“From the packaging to the many ingredients, a typical consumer product in coatings, personal care, home care, industrial, and agricultural applications still uses petrochemicals and therefore fossil carbon,” said Christian Vang, global head of business unit industrial & consumer specialties, Clariant. “Switching to bio-based carbon chemistry remains a big challenge for manufacturers and by launching the Vita surfactant and PEG range we are offering them an important new solution to achieve this.”
Clariant uses 100 percent bio-ethanol from sugar cane or corn to create the ethylene oxide for its new surfactants and PEGs. The bio-based material is fully segregated along the value chain from the field to the final consumer product. The Vita surfactants can save up to 85 percent of CO₂ emissions compared to their fossil analogues.
In addition to setting the standard in a greener production, these new solutions are chemically equivalent to Clariant’s fossil versions, offering, the company says, the same performance and efficiency to formulators and brand owners. Customers can currently benefit from more than 70 bio-based products, and the range will continue to be expanded to meet evolving market needs. In Q1 2022, double-digit kilotons of the bio-based surfactants and PEGs will be available for the worldwide business segments from Clariant IGL Specialty Chemicals (CISC), a Clariant joint venture.