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  • Neutralize Fatty Acids Without TEA

    Posted by zivba on December 27, 2018 at 1:46 pm
    Hello,
    I want to neutralize Palmitic Acid 8% and Stearic Acid 1%,
    I used to do this with TEA-6.5%, and the product came out as liquid as I wanted.
    But at the moment I do not want to use TEA or DEA and the like.
    Once I try to use NaOH- 0.6%, the product comes out solid.
    Is there another base I can use to neutralize fatty acids?
    Or is there another way to use NaOH in a way that the acids do not undergo Saponification?

    Thanks.

    dtdang replied 5 years, 2 months ago 5 Members · 5 Replies
  • 5 Replies
  • fekher

    Member
    December 27, 2018 at 4:14 pm

    try Koh it will give sometging near in Texture to TEA.

  • gunther

    Member
    December 27, 2018 at 6:21 pm

    Saponification only happens when you start out with oils or fats (usually glycerides or triglycerides) you need a strong base for saponification like NaOH or KOH.

    If you start with the free fatty acids you only need a mild base for neutralization
    besides NaOH or KOH you can use their carbonates, TEA or ammonium carbonate.

  • chemicalmatt

    Member
    December 27, 2018 at 8:33 pm

    Ziv, try using AMP-95 (aminomethylpropanediol). While it won’t give the pearl that TEA soap had, it will do the job.  Both Fekher & Gunther are right in recommending KOH though if it is a shave cream texture you are looking for. 

  • zivba

    Member
    December 30, 2018 at 5:37 am

    chemicalmatt, Yes I want to do a shaving gel without the TEA.

    this is why I don’t need it as solid.

    I’ll try the KOH for start.

    Thank you very much.

  • dtdang

    Member
    January 2, 2019 at 12:03 am

    Is KOK same as NaOH ? Both are strong base. The difference is K and Na, but both are metal

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