Bio-Sourced Amphiphiles and Green Polymer Chemistry

S2CB develops next-generation amphiphiles and polymers derived entirely from biomass, responding to the growing need for biodegradable and low-toxicity alternatives to petrochemical surfactants. Using agro-food by-products such as terpenes and inulin-type fructans, the team combination of hydrophobic and hydrophilic moieties to precisely tune the hydrophilic–lipophilic balance and generate efficient bio-based detergents and copolymers.

This research embraces eco-responsible synthetic approaches—including microwave-assisted transformations, green solvents and low-impact purification—and leverages mild polymerization technologies such as PET-RAFT, initiated by natural photocatalysts directly obtained from plant extracts. The resulting amphiphiles are thoroughly characterized to understand their self-assembly behavior and their potential as sustainable surfactants for formulation science, biomedical applications, and membrane-protein solubilization.

Positioned at the crossroads of green chemistry, biomass valorization and colloidal science, this line of research contributes to the emergence of renewable, high-value amphiphilic materials with reduced environmental impact.