KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA MZU, AIZAWL

CHEMISTRY INVESTIGATORY PROJECT

2022-23

TOPIC: PRODUCTION OF SOAP

MADE BY: JOSHUA REMRUATFELA ZONGTE
CLASS: XII
ROLL NO: 14
SUBJECT: CHEMISTRY
SUBJECT TEACHER: ANOOP KUMAR

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 CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE NO.

Certificate 3
Acknowledgement 4
Introduction 5
Experiment 16
1)Aim 16
2)Materials Required 16
3)Theory 17
4)Procedure 18
5)Observation 20
6)Conclusion 20
7)Bibliography 21

CERTIFICATE

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This is to certify that Joshua Remruatfela Zongte
(Roll No-14) of class XII, Kendriya Vidyalaya
MZU, has satisfactorily finished his Investigatory
Project on the topic “Production of Soap” under the
guidance of his chemistry teacher Anoop Kumar in
the academic year 2022-2023 in partial fulfillment of
chemistry practical examination conducted by
CBSE.

Signature of External examiner Signature of Chemistry teacher

Signature of Principal

Acknowledgment

I would like to thank the CBSE, for providing me

the opportunity to carry out this investigatory
project. This experience has been very beneficial for
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me. I also take this opportunity to express my
sincere gratitude to my chemistry teacher MR.
ANOOP KUMAR for always lending a helping hand
if and whenever it was required. Through his
teaching and guidance I was able to grasp a sound
base of knowledge pertaining to this project which
ensured the successful completion of this project. I
also wish to express my gratitude to KVMZU for
providing all the facilities and tools required to
successfully carry out this project.

Introduction

What is a Soap?

Soaps are potassium or sodium salts of long chain

carboxylic acids. In short they are salts of fatty acids. All
soaps contain a positive ion usually Na+ or K+ ion which
are usually long chained carboxylic acids obtained by the
hydrolysis of animal or vegetable fats.

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Soaps are obtained by treating vegetable or animal oils
and fats with a strongly alkaline solution. The alkaline
solution, often termed as lye, promotes what is known as
saponification.
LYE
Lye is a corrosive alkaline substance, commonly sodium
hydroxide, also known as caustic soda or historically
potassium hydroxide from hydrated potash.

Hydrolysis
Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction during
which molecules of water (H2O) are split
into hydrogen cations (H+, conventionally referred to
as protons) and hydroxide anions (OH−) in the process of
a chemical mechanism. It is the type of reaction that is
used to break down certain polymers, especially those
made bycondensation polymerization. Such polymer
degradation is usually catalysed by either acid, e.g.,

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concentrated sulfuric acid (H2SO4), or alkali, e.g., sodium
hydroxide (NaOH).

Saponification

Saponification is a process that produces soap, usually

from fats and lye. In technical terms, saponification
involvesbase (usually caustic
soda NaOH) hydrolysis of triglycerides, which
are esters of fatty acids, to form the sodium saltof
a carboxylate. In addition to soap, such traditional
saponification processes produces glycerol. "Saponifiable
substances" are those that can be converted into soap.

In the industrial manufacture of soap tallow(fat from

animals such as cat and sheep) or vegetable fat is heated
with sodium hydroxide . Once the saponification reaction
is complete sodium chloride is added to precipitate the
soap. The water layer is drawn off the top of the mixture
and glycerol is recovered using vacuum distillation.

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Crude soap obtained from saponification contains sodium
chloride, sodium hydroxide and glycerol. These
impurities are re,oved by boilin the crude soap in water
and reprecipitating the soap with salt.

Soaps can be hard or soft if sodium hydroxide is used in

the saponification reaction then a hard soap is obtained on
the other hand if potassium hydroxide is used a soft soap
is formed.

Alternate uses of Saponification.

Fires involving oils burn hotter than flammable liquids,

rendering a standard extinguisher ineffective. Flammable
liquids have flashpoints under 100 degrees fahrenheit.
Cooking oil is a combusting liquid since it has a
flashpoint over 100 degrees fahrenheit.

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Such fires should be extinguished with a wet chemical
extinguisher.

Extinguishers of this type are designed to extinguish oils

through saponification. The extinguishing reagent rapidly
converts the burning substance to a non combustible soap.
This process is endothermic, i.e it absorbs thermal energy
from its surroundings, decreasing the temperature and
eliminating the fire.

Saponification value

Saponification value represents the number of milligrams

of potassium hydroxide required to saponify 1g
of fatunder the conditions specified. It is a measure of the
average molecular weight (or chain length) of all the fatty
acids present.

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Fats and Oils

Fats and oils are esters of triglycerols and fatty acids.

Hydrolysis can break down a fat or oil and release the
triglycerol and fatty acids.
If the hydrolysis is carried under Alkaline conditions a
soap can be made and the saponification value can be
found to compare their relative molecular masses and the
relative chain length of the fatty acids.
Vegetable fats and oils

Vegetable fats and oils are lipid materials derived

from plants. Physically, oils are liquid at room
temperature, and fats are solid. Chemically, both fats and
oils are composed of triglycerides, as contrasted
with waxes which lack glycerin in their structure.
Although many plant parts may yield oil, in commercial
practice, oil is extracted primarily from seeds.

The melting temperature distinction between oils and fats

is imprecise, since definitions of room temperature vary,

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and typically natural oils have a melting range instead of a
single melting point since natural oils are not chemically
homogeneous. Although thought of
as esters of glycerin and a varying blend of fatty acids,
fats and oils also typically contain free fatty acids,
monoglycerides and diglycerides and unsaponifiable
lipids. Vegetable fats and oils may or may not be edible.
Triglycerides

A triglyceride (TG, triacylglycerol, TAG,
or triacylglyceride) is an ester derived from glycerol and
three fatty acids. It is the main constituent of vegetable oil
and animal fats.

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Uses of Tryglyceride vegetable oil:

Culinary Use
Many vegetable oils are consumed directly, or indirectly
as ingredients in food. The oils serve a number of
purposes in this role.

Texture- oils can serve to make other ingredients stick

together less.

Flavour- while less flavor oils command premium prices,

oils such as olive oil or almond oil may be chosen
specifically for the flavor they impart.

Flavour base- oils can also carry flavours of other

ingredients, since many flavours are present in chemicals
that are soluble in oil.

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Industrial Use

Vegetable oils are used as an ingredient or component in

many manufactured products. Many vegetable oils are
ised to make soaps, skin products, candles, perfumes and
many other personal care and cosmetic products.

Some oils are particularly suitable as drying oils, and are

used in making paints and other wood treatment products.
One limiting factor on industrial uses of vegetable oils is
thal all such oils eventually chemically decompose
turning rancid. Oils that are more stable, such as ben oil
or mineral oil, are preferred for some industrial uses.

Rancid
Rancidification is the chemical decomposition
of fats, oils and other lipids (this degradation also occurs

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in mechanical cutting fluids). When these processes occur
in food, undesirable odors and flavors can result. In some
cases, however, the flavors can be desirable (as in aged
cheeses). In processed meats, these flavors are
collectively known as "warmed over flavor".
Rancidification can also detract from the nutritional value
of the food. Some vitamins are highly sensitive to
degradation.

Fuel
Vegetable oils are also used to make biodiesel, which can
be used like conventional diesel. Some vegetable oil
blends are used in unmodified vehicles but straight
vegetable oil, also known as pure plant oil, needs
specially prepared vehicles which have a method of
heating the oil to reduce its viscosity.

Experiment

Aim: To prepare soap through saponification

reaction of different oil and fat and to calculate
the mass of soap prepared.

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Materials Required:
1) 3 samples of oils and fats
2) Sodium chloride
3) Burner
4) Glass rod
5) Dil. Sodium Hydroxide
6) Conical Flask
7) Filter Paper
8) Stand
9) Weighing Machine
10) Funnel
11) Water
12) Measuring Cylinder
13) Beaker

Theory:
Saponification is the hydrolysis of an ester
under basic conditions to form an alcohol and
salt of a carboxylic acid.

Fat + 3NaOH or KOH Glycerol + Crude Soap

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Soaps are sodium and potassium salts of fatty
acids made by boiling animal fat with potash or
lye.

A Saturated Solution is a solution in which no

more of a soluble substance can be added
without raising the temperature.

Procedure:

1) Take 10 ml of a sample of fat or oil and pour it in a

beaker.
2) Take 15 ml of dil sodium hydroxide solution and
pour it in the beaker containing the sample fat or
oil.

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3) Wait until the two liquids are clearly sepaprated in
two layers.
4) Put the beaker over a burner using a stand and
allow it to heat for 10-15 minutes until the solid
substances are seen on top of the liquid.
5) After the solid substance appears remove the
beaker from the stand and allow it to cool down.
6) As the beaker is cooling prepare a concentrated
sodium chloride solution by dissolving the sodium
chloride salt in water until it becimes saturated.
7) Filter the solid substance formed in the beaker
using a funnel and filter paper after adding
saturated solution to it.
8) The filtered residue obtained is crude soap.
9) Measure the mass of resiude using a weighing
machine

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 10) Note down observations and repeat the experiment
for different sample of fats and oils.

Observations:
The residue obtained was soap formed by
saponification reaction.

Table:

Sample of oils Mass of soap obtained

Olive oil 0.90g
Sunflower oil 2.23g
Ghee 6g

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Conclusion:
The yield of crude soap was maximum with
ghee followed by sunflower oil and olive oil.

Bibliography

www.wikipedia.org/wiki/SOAP
www.wikipedia.org/wiki/saponification
www.realhandmadesoap.com/folders/FAQ/
what_is_saponification.htm

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