Viscoelastic solutions formed by alkyl-oligo(ethylene glycol)-glycoside carbohydrate surfactants as potential bio-resourced thickeners

Twenty-one novel carbohydrate surfactants were synthesised and characterised. Some formed rare elongated aggregates in water which, when entangled, cause the solution to become thick at low concentrations. The aggregates were studied in detail to optimise and maximise their thickening properties. These bio-resourced thickeners have many potential applications in academia and industry as alternatives to current petrochemical-based products.