John F. Scamehorn

Research Interests

My research involves the technological application of surfactant science. A primary area of research if the development of novel separation techniques utilizing surfactants, which can be used to clean up polluted wastewater, groundwater and air streams. One approach we have taken is to dissolve surfactants in water under conditions in which contaminants associate with surfactant aggregates, which are easy to ultrafilter from solution in a subsequent step. Another technology we have developed is the use of surfactants to regenerate spent activated carbon beds.

A major application we have been investigating is the solution properties of surfactants relevant to improving detergent formulations. Challenges include the desire to remove phosphates from consumer products for environmental reasons, to include bleach in formulations, and to reduce volatile organic compound emissions from hard surface cleaners for safety reasons. Our approach to these problems often involves using surfactant mixtures in novel combinations to improve properties.

Selected Publications

Abe, M., and Scamehorn, J.F. (Editors), Mixed Surfactant Systems, 2nd Edition, Marcel Dekker, New York, Surfactant Science Series, Vol. 124 (2005).

Scamehorn, J.F., Sabatini, D.A., and Harwell, J.H., “Surfactants – Part I: Fundamentals”, in Encyclopedia of Supramolecular Chemistry (Atwood, J., and Stead, J., Eds.), Marcel Dekker, New York, 2004, p. 1458-1469.

Pookrod, P., Haller, K. J., Scamehorn, J. F., “Removal of Arsenic Anions from Water Using Polyelectrolyte-Enhanced Ultrafiltration”, Sep. Sci. Technol., 39, 811 (2004).

Chaisalee, R., Soontravanich, S., Yanumet, N., and Scamehorn, J.F., “Mechanism of Antifoam Behavior of Solutions of Nonionic Surfactants Above the Cloud Point”, J. Surf. Deterg., 6, 345 (2003).

Soponvuttikul, C., Scamehorn, J. F., and Saiwan, C., “Aqueous Dispersion Behavior of Barium Chromate Crystals: Effect of Cationic Polyelectrolyte“, Langmuir, 19, 4402 (2003).