Hydrophobic modification of Inulin in aqueous media using alkyl epoxides and basic catalysis

Inulin, the polydisperse reserve polysaccharide from chicory, has been modified with fatty epoxy derivatives of different chain length in high alkaline aqueous media. Etherification of inulin has been carried out with high efficiency. The influence of several reaction parameters such as amount of organic co-solvent, catalysts, reaction time and temperature has been studied. After purification, emulsion power of the final products was tested, considering these products as promising green polymeric surfactants.