Enhanced benzothiazole removal from textiles with a polyglycoside/dodecanol formulation: Mechanisms of self-assembly andoil-uptake capacity

The design of surfactant formulations with tailored structural properties presents a promising approach for applications in drug delivery, oil absorption, and environmental remediation. However, the structural transitions and performance of bio-based surfactant mixtures, particularly those containing Alkyl Polyglycosides as surfactants and fatty alcohols as co-surfactants, remain inadequately explored. In this study, the structural characteristics and functional properties of Akypo® surfactant in the presence of 1-Dodecanol (C12OH) were investigated. Surface tensions analysis revealed that the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of Akypo® is approximately 180 ppm, with small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) revealing that the micelles adopt an oblate ellipsoidal shape. The addition of C12OH to Akypo® led to the formation of a lamellar phase at concentrations starting from 4 v/v%. The formulation was tested for oil recovery from solid surfaces and benzothiazole removal from fabric. The oil-uptake capability of the engineered Akypo:C12OH formulations was evaluated using the interfacial oil-water (IKW) test, demonstrating an impressive oil absorption ratio of 72 wt%, highlighting their potential for advanced oil recovery applications. Furthermore, the effectiveness of Akypo:C12OH formulations in environmental remediation was assessed by evaluating benzothiazole removal from contaminated cotton fabrics. After a single washing cycle, 59 % of benzothiazole was successfully removed, demonstrating the potential of these formulations for efficient pollutant removal.