Henkel has awarded the “Laundry & Home Care Research Award 2017.” The prize went to Peter Hausoul for his outstanding research as part of the HICAST cooperation with RWTH Aachen University in Germany.

During this joint project, Hausoul created synthesis routes for powerful new surfactants based on biomass, which could improve the carbon footprint of laundry detergents in the future. The award, which the Laundry & Home Care business unit has presented for the eighth time, comes with a 3,000-euro prize.

“Henkel has set itself the goal of becoming a climate-neutral and, in the long run, climate-positive company,” says Thomas Müller-Kirschbaum, head of global research and development in the Laundry & Home Care business unit. “Dr. Hausoul’s work shows that catalytic processes make it possible to obtain new bio-based surfactants that could replace the raw materials currently used in laundry detergents. These findings are an important building block for the further development of resource-conserving and climate-neutral products. We are particularly proud of the fact that this excellent work originated within the framework of our HICAST cooperation. It proves how important it is for us as a research-oriented company to support and promote the next generation of scientists.”

Hausoul has used intermediate products obtained from biomass as building blocks to design innovative detergent substances, also known as surfactants. The key to this was striking the right balance between solubility and surface activity. Several of these substances have already been registered for patent. The basis for his work was cellulose, the most common organic compound.

“Together with Henkel’s research scientists, we were able to show that the new surfactants really work in practice,” says Hausoul. Powerful surfactants are currently obtained in part from non-renewable petrochemical raw materials.

At the award ceremony, Hausoul presented the results of his research to representatives of Henkel’s research and development and members of the Laundry & Home Care business unit’s Technology Advisory Board – a committee made up of leading scientists in fields relevant to the development of laundry detergents and cleaning agents. Henkel cooperates with these scientists, especially to research and analyze trends.