Surfactants — the core ingredient that determines how well any detergent or cleaning product actually cleans — have traditionally been made from petroleum or palm oil, raising concerns about greenhouse gas emissions and impacts on tropical rainforests. Two independent research efforts, one in the United States and one in Germany, are pursuing the same goal of replacing petrochemical feedstocks with bio-based materials, but via entirely different chemical routes.SEE MORE
The controlled-release fertilizer industry has long relied on microplastic coatings to regulate nutrient release — but that same coating is becoming one of the more persistent sources of microplastic residue in farmland soil. A research project in Canada, which just received additional federal funding in September 2026, is testing a plant-based, fully biodegradable alternative.SEE MORE
A major consumer goods company has partnered with a home appliance manufacturer to launch its first major-brand laundry detergent and fabric conditioner engineered specifically for washing machines with automatic dosing systems (auto-dose) — reflecting a new trend in the industry: detergent chemistry must now be optimized not only for cleaning performance, but also for compatibility with the motors, sensors, and pumping systems of smart washing machines.SEE MORE
Scientists at the University of Surrey (UK) have published a finding that runs counter to long-standing practice in battery manufacturing: rather than removing the water naturally present in electrode material, as standard processing dictates, leaving that water in place significantly improves the performance of sodium-ion batteries — while also opening up the possibility of using the same battery material to desalinate seawater.SEE MORE
In contrast to signs of easing in the urea market following China’s relaxation of export restrictions, the sulfur market—the essential raw material for producing sulfuric acid and phosphate fertilizers—is undergoing its most severe crisis in nearly two decades, forcing major fertilizer producers to cut or temporarily halt production.SEE MORE
