Stearic acid

Stearic Acid is a saturated fatty acid found in vegetables, animal fats and oils. It consists of stearic and palmitic acids, denoted as C18 and C16, respectively, in chemical analyses.

The grade of stearic acid is determined by its concentration of stearic and palmitic acids, which in turn defines its market applications. Palm oil is the primary raw material for plant-grade stearic acid, sourced mainly from Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Philippines, and Singapore.

Stearic acid production involves several steps, including deodorization, separation, concentration, and hydrogenation. The deodorization process eliminates light components and unpleasant odors from the oil under vacuum. Animal-based stearic acid often carries an unpleasant odor.

During separation, contaminants are removed, while the concentration process determines the percentage of stearic and palmitic acids based on oil conditions and type. Hydrogenation is a crucial stage that saturates fatty acids and determines the iodine number of stearic acid, indicating its purity. A lower iodine number signifies higher quality and greater purity, as it indicates a lower presence of unsaturated fatty acids.

Applications of stearic acid:

·           Rubber Industry: It functions as a lubricant, softener, and stabilizer in the production of rubber products like masterbatch, PVC films, pipes, profiles, and granules.

·           Lubricants and Coatings: It serves as a raw material for lubricants, anti-foaming agents, mold separators, softeners, and waterproofing substances.

·           Cosmetics: Stearic acid is used in health cosmetics and metal stearates.

·           Candle Production: It finds application in the production of candles.

·           Polymer Additive: Stearic acid is utilized as an additive in widely used polymers such as PVC, PP, and PE.