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Small order supplier for coconut fatty acid
Hello,Does anyone know of a supplier (preferably European) who will ship very small quantities of coconut fatty acid distillate, preferably 1 kg or less, to UK-based home crafters?I’ve tried the usual suspects (Gracefruit, Soap Kitchen, Aromantic etc.) but they don’t supply it as a stock item - and if possible, I’d like to avoid shipping it halfway round the world.Many thanks! -
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In the absence of any local suppliers, I’ve had a crack at making it myself.Procedure:1. Saponify the coconut oil into a soap and let it stand for several days to cure.2. Acidify the soap with an excess of hydrochloric acid and mix until all solids are dissolved. The mixture will split into two layers.3. Decant the top layer into a suitable container - this is the fatty acid fraction.The end product is more crude and turbid than the distilled product, and it has a stronger smell, but the fact it has that characteristic chip-pan smell and melting point below skin temperature seems to indicate it’s the right stuff.The soap took several hours to dissolve as I had used caustic soda and refined coconut oil, resulting in a very hard, solid soap; I’ll try virgin coconut oil and potassium hydroxide next time.All in all, a generally successful experiment!
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