Alkyl Polyglucoside (APG) works by using its unique natural structure, where a sugar-based head attracts water and a fatty chain grabs oils, to efficiently lift away dirt without damaging surfaces or skin; it demonstrates exceptional cleaning power, effectively removing up to 80% of lead contaminants in soil remediation, and is highly biodegradable, breaking down completely in the environment.

Mechanism

APG does not rely on strong chemical stripping for decontamination, but rather utilizes its unique "dual nature" structure to intelligently complete the cleaning task.

The molecular structure of APG can be visually understood as a thumbtack. Its "pinhead" is the hydrophilic glucosyl group (derived from natural plant sugar), and the "pin shaft" is the hydrophobic fatty alkyl chain (derived from renewable resources such as coconut oil or palm oil).

The cleaning process is essentially a sophisticated dance performed by APG molecules at the oil (dirt)-water-solid (surface to be cleaned) three-phase interface. The steps include the following:

Step 1: Adsorption and Penetration

When the APG solution contacts the oily dirt, its hydrophobic alkyl chain, due to its "lipophilic" nature, rapidly inserts and firmly adsorbs onto the surface or inside the oily dirt.

Simultaneously, the hydrophilic glycoside head tends to remain in the water.

This oriented arrangement significantly reduces the surface tension of water and the interfacial tension between the oily dirt and the object surface.

You can imagine the oily dirt originally "sitting" tightly on the object surface; APG molecules insert like wedges at the bottom, weakening the adhesion of the oily dirt by increasing the spreading coefficient, making it unstable and preparing it for subsequent stripping.

Step 2: Emulsification and Dispersion

With the action of more APG molecules, the large, continuous oil layer begins to be torn and surrounded. The hydrophobic chain of APG grabs the oil droplet inward, and the hydrophilic head extends outward into the water, thereby forming a stable molecular film on the surface of the oil droplet.

This film effectively prevents the oil droplets from re-coalescing, emulsifying and dispersing the oily dirt into countless tiny particles, suspended in the water.

This process is similar to how oil stains on hands are broken down into invisible particles and washed away with water when washing hands with soap.

Studies show that the emulsion formed by APG is very stable, with its emulsion phase volume remaining almost unchanged within 30 minutes, significantly better than other traditional surfactants.

Step 3: Anti-Redeposition

If the cleaned object surface lacks protection, the dispersed oil particles are likely to redeposit. Due to the large steric hindrance and hydrogen bonding effects of its hydrophilic glycoside head, it can form a hydrophilic film on the cleaned surface, effectively isolating oil particles and preventing them from readsorbing onto the object surface. This means that cleaning agents using APG can not only efficiently remove dirt but also keep the surface clean for a longer time after washing.

Performance

Safety

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) 301D standard test, APG can achieve a biodegradation rate of approximately 70% within 28 days and shows a trend of continuous degradation, with the final products being harmless CO₂ and H₂O.

This data is significantly higher than many traditional surfactants (such as PEG-type non-ionic surfactants with a degradation rate <60%), confirming its "derived from nature, returned to nature" green characteristic.

In terms of skin compatibility, skin irritation tests conducted according to OECD 404 standards show that APG has minimal impact on the skin barrier.

The key quantitative indicator is the comparison of Transepidermal Water Loss (TEWL) rates. Studies show that at the same test concentration, traditional surfactants SLS and SLES significantly increase the TEWL value (meaning the skin barrier is damaged), while the TEWL change caused by APG is indistinguishable from the blank control group, data-wise confirming its claim of "non-allergenic" and "extremely low irritation".

Emulsification Performance

Experimental studies investigated the effect of different factors on emulsification capacity, with key parameters including emulsion phase volume and stability time.

The data show that in environments with salt concentration (NaCl) up to 10% or temperatures rising above 60°C, APG's emulsification capacity parameters (such as emulsion phase volume) not only did not decrease but actually improved.

Its emulsification stability is further confirmed by time parameters: the volume retention rate of the emulsion phase formed by APG within 30 minutes is significantly higher than other comparison samples, indicating its ability to stably disperse oily dirt in water for a long time, preventing secondary deposition.

Functionality

Functional parameters, such as foaming performance, are closely related to the molecular structure of APG. Foaming performance is an important sensory indicator for cleaning agents, with key parameters including foam height and liquid drainage time (time required to drain 50% of the liquid).

The research data clearly shows that when the length of APG's hydrophobic alkyl chain is around 10 carbon atoms (such as Decyl Glucoside), its foam height parameter reaches a peak, and the liquid drainage time is the longest, meaning the foam is most stable.

This provides clear parameter basis for formulation engineers to accurately select the product model based on product needs (e.g., shampoo requires rich foam, while low-foam cleaning agents require short-chain APG).

Environmental Remediation

In soil leaching remediation, the removal efficiency of heavy metals by APG is a core parameter. Experimental data compares the removal rate of Lead (Pb) by APG and the traditional anionic surfactant AES.

The results show that under the same usage conditions, the parameter for APG's removal rate of lead can reach 80%, significantly higher than AES.

Cleaning Efficiency

Decontamination Ability

APG performs astonishingly as a cleaning agent when treating soil contaminated with the heavy metal lead (Pb).

Experimental data shows that APG's removal rate for lead can be as high as 80%, an efficiency significantly better than the commonly used traditional anionic surfactant AES (Alcohol Ethoxy Sulfate).

APG's powerful emulsification and solubilization capabilities allow it to "strip" heavy metal contaminants firmly attached to soil particles and stably disperse them in the washing liquid, thereby achieving high-efficiency purification.

Environmental Stability

Many cleaning agents perform well under ideal laboratory conditions, but their efficiency is greatly reduced in real industrial or household environments—such as high-salinity hard water, or high-temperature hot water.

APG is completely different; research on the rule of its emulsification capacity changing with environmental conditions found that in high-concentration salt (NaCl) and high-temperature (e.g., above 60°C) environments, APG's interfacial activity and emulsification performance not only did not decrease but actually improved.

APG's cleaning efficiency is better ensured when using hot water for cleaning heavy kitchen grease or in hard water regions.

Anti-Redeposition

APG maintains lasting cleaning efficiency by preventing the redeposition of dirt. The true challenge of cleaning is sometimes not in washing away the dirt the first time, but in preventing the washed-off dirt from re-adhering to the fabric or object surface. APG molecules can form a hydrophilic film on the cleaned surface (such as fibers), and this film effectively isolates the oil particles.

This anti-redeposition capability is crucial for laundry detergent formulations, ensuring that white fabrics remain bright and new even after multiple washes without turning gray. In contrast, some traditional surfactants, despite strong initial detergency, have poor anti-redeposition ability, which reduces the overall cleaning efficiency.

Formulation Synergy

APG's cleaning efficiency can achieve an "efficiency multiplier" through clever compounding. In actual formulations, APG rarely works alone; one of its greatest values lies in its synergistic effect with other surfactants.

When compounded with anionic surfactants (such as LAS, AES) or zwitterionic surfactants (such as Betaine CAB), it can produce a "1+1>2" effect:

· Enhance overall detergency: The mixed system can form a denser, stronger composite film at the oil-water interface, thus emulsifying oily dirt faster and more thoroughly.

· Optimize foaming performance: APG itself acts as a foam stabilizer; when compounded with anionic surfactants that easily generate rich foam, it can achieve voluminous, fine, and long-lasting foam, enhancing the user experience.

· More importantly, this synergy is safe: APG can effectively mitigate the irritation of anionic surfactants to the skin, making the high-efficiency cleaning formulation also gentle.

APG is not just about "cleaning thoroughly," but also "reliable cleanliness" that performs stably in any water quality and temperature, "lasting cleanliness" that prevents dirt from returning, and "intelligent cleanliness" that enables "high efficiency and mildness" in collaboration with other ingredients.