Evaluation of Terpene Alkoxylates as Sustainable Degreasers for Performance Enhancement in HI&I Formulation

Abstract: This study builds upon our previous research to evaluate cleaning performance and compare commercial degreasers to those formulated with terpene alkoxylate in several HI&I applications.   The comparison includes factors such as dosing levels, foam profile, detergency, and soil removal.   Cleaning performance was quantified using a modified ASTM D-4488-A5 spectroscopic methodology, while surface energy was assessed through contact angle measurement. Prototypical analogs of commercial formulations were selected based on applications and compared to similar formulas containing the terpene alkoxylate. 

The applications considered in this study include laundry stain removers, wood and floor cleaners, hard surface cleaners, vehicle maintenance, food service, heavy-duty degreasing, and ink and adhesive removers. These commercial analogs often utilize glycol ethers and other solvents within these formulations for performance enhancement.   The study further explores the potential to replace these solvents with the more sustainable terpene alkoxylate surfactant. Dosing levels required to achieve equal or superior performance were observed for several prototype applications.