Generally, there are two manufacturing processes that can be used to obtain this ingredient.

1. Direct process
In this method, purified sodium stearate is synthesized by the chemical reaction between stearic acid and sodium hydroxide. Reaction equation as follows:

C17H35COOH+NaOH=C17H35COONa+H2O

This process is also suitable to produce potassium stearate (with another base KOH) and other salts of fatty acids.

2. Triglyceride hydrolysis
It can also be made from a saponification or basic hydrolysis reaction between NaOH with triglyceride. Reaction equation as follows (2):



(C18H35O2)3C3H5 + 3 NaOH → C3H5(OH)3 + 3 C18H35O2Na

Triglyceride is glycerine molecules attached to long hydrocarbon chains – stearic acid. It is the common form that stearic acid presents in natural sources: animal oils & fats and vegetable oils.


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