CAS 143-07-7 Lauric Acid For Soaps And Detergents Dodecanoic Acid

CAS 143-07-7 Lauric Acid For Soaps And Detergents Dodecanoic Acid

1. Description

Lauric Acid (systematic name: Dodecanoic acid) is a saturated medium-chain fatty acid with the molecular formula C₁₂H₂₄O₂. It is naturally abundant in coconut oil (approx. 50%) and palm kernel oil (approx. 50%). It appears as a white, crystalline solid or powder at room temperature with a characteristic faint, fatty odor. It is a major component in the production of soaps, detergents, and personal care products due to its excellent lathering and cleansing properties.

2. Specification

The following table outlines the key technical specifications for refined, high-purity lauric acid.

3. Key Features & Properties

• Medium-Chain Fatty Acid (MCFA): Easily metabolized, making it of interest in nutritional and medical applications.
• Excellent Lathering Agent: Provides a rich, stable lather in soaps and cleansers, even in hard water.
• Antibacterial Activity: Exhibits strong activity against a broad spectrum of pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
• Good Solubility: Soluble in alcohols, ethers, chloroform, and other organic solvents; insoluble in water.
• Stable & Saturated: Its fully saturated structure provides good oxidative stability compared to unsaturated oils.

4.Applications

• Soaps & Detergents: The largest application. Used to produce sodium laurate, a key ingredient in bar soaps, shampoos, shaving creams, and liquid detergents for its hardiness and lather.
• Personal Care & Cosmetics: Used as an opacifier, emulsifier, and cleansing agent in creams, lotions, and makeup.
• Food Industry: Used as a flavoring agent, lubricant, and release agent (E570). Also used in the production of mono- and diglycerides as emulsifiers.
• Medicals: Employed as an excipient in ointments, suppositories, and controlled-release systems. Its metabolites have studied bioactive properties.
• Industrial Uses: Raw material for the production of Lauryl Alcohol (via hydrogenation), which is further used to make Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES), the most common surfactants globally.
• Specialty Chemicals: Intermediate for esters, lubricants, plasticizers, and alkyd resins.

5. Packing

Lauric acid is typically packed to ensure protection from moisture and contamination. Common packaging formats include:

• 25 kg multi-ply paper bags with polyethylene inner liner.
• 25 kg polywoven bags with inner liner.
• 1000 kg bulk bags (Flexible Intermediate Bulk Containers - FIBCs).
• Melted & Tanker delivery for large-scale industrial consumers.