Stearic acid
General Product Information
| Article | Stearic acid |
| Synonyms | Octadecanoic acid |
| CAS No. | 112-80-1 |
| EEG No. | – |
| EINECS No. | 204-007-1 |
| IMO | – |
| Tariff Code | 29157050 |
| UN No. | – |
| VLG/ADR | – |
Description
Stearic acid is a saturated fatty acid. It occurs naturally in vegetable oils and animal fats and is produced on an industrial scale via hydrolysis of triglycerides followed by purification and distillation. The final product is a white, solid substance with a waxy appearance and a slightly oily odor. Stearic acid is widely used in various industries because of its versatile properties, good processability and chemical stability….
Characteristics
- Odor: Slightly greasy or waxy odor.
- Hygroscopic: No.
- Color: White to light yellow.
- Grade: Technical.
- Solubility: Insoluble in water; soluble in ethanol and organic solvents.
- Shape: crystalline powder or solid wax.
Physical & Chemical Properties
| Chemical Structure | C18H36O2 |
| Molar Weight | 284.48 g/mol |
| Melting Point | 69-70 °C |
| Boiling Point | >360 °C |
| Density | 0.895 g/cm³ (at 25 °C) |
| Refractive Index | – |
| pH | – |
Applications
Stearic acid is applied in various ways, for instance:
1. Candle Industry
Increases the hardness, burn time and shape retention of candles.
2. Plastics & Rubber Industry
Used as a processing aid, plasticizer and stabilizer in the production of PVC, rubber and plastics.
3. Cosmetics & Personal Care
Used as a thickener, emulsifier and texturizer in creams, lotions, makeup and soaps.
4. Metal Industry
In release agents, polishing pastes and coatings because of its smoothing properties.
5. Leather & Textile Industry
Used for waterproofing textiles and as a lubricant at leather working.
Interessing Links
- CAS Common Chemistry – Oleic acid
- European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) – For chemical information and regulations.
- PubChem – Stearic Acid – Chemical information by the National Library of Medicine of the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NIH-NCBI).
- Wikipedia – Stearic acid