Stepan Launches STEPOSOL MET-10U, a Sustainable Surfactant Designed to Replace Solvents

Stepan Company has  introduced STEPOSOL MET-10U, a novel surfactant derived from natural oils that is targeted to displace solvents.

This powerful new cleaning solution is the first commercial product launched by Stepan as part of its joint development agreement with Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc. The development agreement was established to develop and commercialize new surfactants and other products by combining Elevance’s novel Inherent™ building blocks with Stepan’s derivatization and application capabilities.


This innovative solution utilizes a naturally derived, metathesized feedstock to form a next generation bio-based surfactant that achieves sustainability goals while improving cleaning performance, Stepan reported. The applications for this product are broad, including adhesive removal, paint and coating removal systems, kitchen degreasers and all-purpose cleaners for both consumer and industrial uses.

STEPOSOL MET-10U highlights include:

As a household cleaner, delivers better and faster cleaning performance at half the solvent loading with neutral pH in comparison to alkaline degreasers (pH 11-13);
As an adhesive remover, provides equivalent removal of various adhesives at 5 percent concentration in aqueous phase compared with 100% N-methyl pyrrolidone;
As a paint remover, achieves safe and efficient removal of latex paint at 5 percent concentration in aqueous phase compared with 100% solvent systems with methylene chloride.
Since 2010, when the joint development agreement was signed, Stepan has produced and screened derivatives of Elevance Inherent™ building blocks and performed physical property and application tests to determine novel performance. Elevance Inherent™ renewable building blocks are made from natural oils processed with its proprietary metathesis catalyst. These novel building blocks have chemical structures that can be used to construct unique, better performing surfactant solutions, including STEPOSOL® MET-10U.

STEPOSOL MET-10U specific product attributes include its Kauri-butanol value greater than 1000; boiling point of 297°C; Biorenewable Carbon Index of 75 percent; and formulating pH range of 3-12. These parameters create a high-strength and non-volatile surfactant, which provides faster and more effective cleaning by fulfilling the role of both a low HLB surfactant and a strong solvent.