The Essential Chemical Industry - online search Soaps ‘Soaps are made from naturally occurring animal fats and vegetable oils. The animal fats and vegetable ols are esters ofthe alcohol, progano-1,2.3-riol (glycerol) CHzOHCHOHCH,OH and long chain carboxylic acids (often known as fatty acids) RCOzH, where the alkyt ‘groups contain between 7 and 21 carbon atoms, Manufacture ‘Tho fats and ols aro hoated wih an aka, usualy Sodium hydroxide, and the esters are hyaro}yed to form a sodium saltof te carboxye acd and te alcohol, propane-t.2;-tol (lycer)}: RICO;CH, RICO;Ns' CH-OH RECO,CH +3NAOH —e — R°CO;Ne + CH—OH RICO;CH. RICO;Ns CHy-OH ‘Tho process is known as saponificaion and the sodium salts of he acids are soaps. Modem plants have continous processes. The cls ae puri, blended and thon mixed with sodium hydroxide soliton very rapidly. The ‘mature is passed into a heated reaction chamber where saponicaton occurs. The glycerelis more valuable than the soap and most of tis recovered. Somes letin the soap to make itsmooth and soll. Allar saponiicaon the soap and glycorel mixture is usualy passed on toa rotating disc contact or ROC where the mixture is passed down a column and is washed with a counte-current of sedum chloride solution. Soap is not very Soluble in saltwater and soparatos out, Glycerol stays in soliton whichis known as lye. The washed soap is then furber treated wit sodium chloride solitons and centrfugee to give soap at the requied concentration. ‘Figure 1 Soaps are made rom the sodium and potassium sats of ong chain carbon acid. Tel properties such a lathring and softness depond on te length of the carbone acid chain, ti metal on and the proportion of un-nauvalized carbone aids (added, Thay ar also distinguished by {heir colour and perfume. Same soaps aso contain grmicdes and extol. 2d pen na ‘The soap fs died by spraying into'@ vacuum chamber to give a fnal product stable for stamping. The glycerol solution fs concentrated by evaporating off the water and the glycerol then purified by dstitaton, ts main use isn producing alkyd resins, used in paints (materals-and-apphcationsipaintsrimlakyd_polymer. tls ako used to make explosives (nitoglycerine) and in many cosmetic and pharmaceutical products. Designing soaps In oder to give those properties tothe soap the public seek, tis manufactured fom a blend of animals (low) ana vegetable ois (coconut and paln kemel Some pure vegetable soaps are avallble, manufactured by substring palm ol fr alow asthe tgleerdes have sug simlarcompostion. These are most kel tobe manufactured in topical counts where the vegetable as are mors redly avalable 81 8%op‘Som high qualty soaps contain un-neutralsed fatty acids. These help to stablse the lather and improve the feel ofthe soap on the skin, Tradional bar soaps are being creasingly replaced, particularly in developed markets, by quid products such as shower gels, body washes and "quid soaps’ that are formulated using synthetic surfactans (Imatetials-and-applcatons/suractants.himl rather than soaps. Date last amended: 18th March 2073, fvoo (ovtoptoeaiet shitpttngtapten fand- and- and: and applicatipicrintetai ‘Aninvitation Wie invite you to wite tous ityou have any specific comments about this ste, fr example ‘errors that you have found, suggestions for new topics o for adding to the existing unis, suggestions for nks to other ses and addons or allematives to our examples. Ploase send these comments to: eci@essontatchemicaindusty.org(mailo:ec\@essentalchemicalindusty. org) ‘This web sie Is produced by the Cente for Industry Education Callaboration, non-proftexganization and an integral pat ofthe Deparment of ‘Chemistry, Univers of York UK. Copyright © 2016 Unversity af York Centre for Industry Educaton Collaboration, York, UK. Al Rights Reserved a