PEG-4 Rapeseedamide – A »Unique« Low Viscous Concentrated Ethoxylated Fatty Acid Monoethanolamide for Personal Care

Over the past several years, environmental awareness and the substitution of petrochemicals products by renewable raw materials have led to the development of more sustainable surfactants.
Fatty acid alkanolamides were developed in order to obtain similar functional
properties as non-ionic surfactants (like ethoxylated alkylphenols) but with better environmental compatibility, due to the introduction of an amide bond in the surfactant (1).
In the cosmetic field, alkanolamides are well known for their ability to greatly enhance the viscosity of aqueous sodium alkyl sulfate and alkyl ether sulfate solutions. Alkanolamides are also characterized by their excellent foam  boosting and stabilizing properties.
Kao Chemicals Europe’s trade name for alkanolamides and their derivatives is
AMIDET®.

Cocamide DEA (AMIDET® B-112) has been the most widely used alkanolamide for years, as viscosity enhancing agent and foam booster, due to its liquid appearance and good price-performance ratio.
Concerns over the safety of secondary alkanolamides have led to a steady  decline in their use, and new alternatives have been introduced in the market using »DEA-free« concept. Cocamide MEA (AMIDET® A-111-P) is one of the alternatives in spite of its solid appearance and high melting point.
In Kao Chemicals Europe range there are also different types of ethoxylated monoethanolamides, based on different alkyl chain and ethoxylation degree, which are used in a variety of applications as emulsifiers and solubilizers.
There have been many attempts to develop a highly concentrated liquid fatty acid monoethanolamide or a derivative thereof. Different fatty acids and/or

ethoxylation of the monoethanolamide have been checked in order to achieve at least the same effectiveness as Cocamide DEA. Foaming and wetting properties of monoethanolamides are optimum in the 3 to 4 moles of ethylene oxide range (2). On the other hand, the water solubility is increased and  therefore the thickening properties may be decreased by ethoxylation.
Taking into account these properties, Kao Chemicals Europe developed a  unique« low viscous concentrated ethoxylated fatty acid monoethanolamide, commercially available under the trade name AMIDET® N (INCI name: PEG-4 Rapeseed-amide). This is the reaction product ofthe aminolysis of rapeseed oil, a vegetable oil with high content of C18 unsaturated fatty acids (oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid), by monoethanolamine and subsequent ethoxylation.

AMIDET® N shows good biodegradability, aerobic as well as anaerobic, and it  also has good aquatic toxicological behavior.
This green profile makes it suitable for Ecolabel and »Nordic Swan« labeled formulations.
The handling is simple. It is not soluble in water but can be easily dispersed into aqueous surfactant solutions; it is coldprocessable, free of secondary  amines and therefore a suitable alternative for Cocamide DEA.

AMIDET® N, initially developed as a liquid thickener for cosmetic products, is a
multi-functional cosmetic ingredient that allows the manufacturer of personal
care products to reduce the amount of ingredients such as foam boosters, solubilizers and thickeners, therefore saving time, storage capacity and money.

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