\u201cA surfactant is a chemical compound that reduces a liquid\u2019s surface tension and lets it spread out to wet a surface,\u201d Youngblood said. \u201cThere is a lack of bio-based surfactants on the market, which is a sustainability issue.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Youngblood and Martinez disclosed the soy-based surfactants to the Purdue Innovates Office of Technology Commercialization<\/a>, which has applied for a patent to protect the intellectual property. Industry partners interested in developing or commercializing them should contact Dipak Narula, lead technology development liaison and assistant director of business development and licensing \u2014 physical sciences, at dnarula@prf.org<\/a> about track code 70130<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n During tests, the soy-based surfactants exhibited comparable or better surface activity than commercial QA (quaternary ammonium) compounds, CTAB (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide) compounds and DTAB (dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide) compounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOur soy-based surfactants may not impact the performance of personal care products,\u201d Youngblood said. \u201cThey can be a drop-in replacement for petroleum-based surfactants; manufacturers will not need a new product or platform to implement them into their processes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Youngblood said further research will be conducted on the soy-based surfactants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe are currently finishing the cationic portion and writing a paper and will continue to anionic and neutral surfactants,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Indiana Soybean Alliance<\/a> provided funding to support Youngblood and Martinez\u2019s research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Purdue Innovates Office of Technology Commercialization<\/a> operates one of the most comprehensive technology transfer programs among leading research universities in the U.S. Services provided by this office support the economic development initiatives of Purdue University and benefit the university\u2019s academic activities through commercializing, licensing and protecting Purdue intellectual property. In fiscal year 2024, the office reported 145 deals finalized with 224 technologies signed, 466 invention disclosures received, and 290 U.S. and international patents received. The office is managed by the Purdue Research Foundation, a private, nonprofit foundation created to advance the mission of Purdue University. Contact otcip@prf.org<\/a> for more information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Purdue University is a public research university leading with excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities in the United States, Purdue discovers, disseminates and deploys knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 107,000 students study at Purdue across multiple campuses, locations and modalities, including more than 58,000 at our main campus in West Lafayette and Indianapolis. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue\u2019s main campus has frozen tuition 13 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap \u2014 including its comprehensive urban expansion, the Mitch Daniels School of Business, Purdue Computes and the One Health initiative \u2014 at https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/president\/strategic-initiatives<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n![\"Photos](\"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/youngblood-martinez.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
Validation and next steps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
About Purdue Innovates Office of Technology Commercialization<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
About Purdue University<\/h2>\n\n\n\n