Soap Industry

Dr. Noaman Ul-Haq

Definition
The term "soap"
soap refers to a particular type
of detergent in which the water-solubilized
group
g
p is carboxylate
y
and the p
positive ion is
usually sodium or potassium. The largest
soap market is bar soap used for personal
b thi
bathing.
Maybe defined as chemical compound or
mixture
i t
off compounds
d resulting
lti ffrom the
th
interaction of fatty oils and fats with alkali.
Prepared by Dr. Noaman Ul-Haq

Raw Materials

Tallow
iis th
the principal
i i l ffatty
tt material
t i l
the quantity used represent about three-fourths of total oils and fats
contains the mixed glycerides obtained from soild fat of cattle by steam
rendering

Greases
Obtained from hogs and smaller domestic animals and are an important
source of glycerides of fatty acids.
Refined by steam rendering or by solvent extraction and are seldom
used with out being blended with other fats.

Coconut oil
the soap from here is firm and lathers well
contains
t i llarge proportions
ti
off th
the very d
desirable
i bl glycerides
l
id off llauric
i and
d
myristic acids

Builders
these are inorganic chemicals added to the soap to make it soft, firm
and hard
Prepared by Dr. Noaman Ul-Haq

Properties
1. Surface active agents
g
((Surfactants))
soaps reduce surface tension when dissolved in
water or organic solvents and in particular they tend
to produce emulsions or colloidal suspensions

2. Cleansing action
the cleansing power of soap is different from
detergent
soap does not produce a good lather for proper
cleaning

3 The properties and application of a particular

3.
soap depends upon the particular carboxylic
acid and base that make up the soap molecule
Prepared by Dr. Noaman Ul-Haq

The Soap Making

Saponification
process of treating fats with base or alkali
a method involves heating fats and oils and
reacting them with a liquid alkali to produce
soap and water (neat soap) and glycerin
3NaOH + (C17H35COO)3C3H5
caustic
ti
glyceryl
l
l
soda
stearate

3C17H35COONa + C3H5(OH)3
sodium
di
glycerin
l
i
stearate

Prepared by Dr. Noaman Ul-Haq

Manufacturing processes
1 Boiling Process
1.
the objective of this is to produce neat soap
in purified condition free from glycerin
Neat soap also called kettle soap which
constitutes the starting material for making
bars, flakes, beads, powders
Soap
p kettle the equipment
q p
where the raw
materials are mixed

Prepared by Dr. Noaman Ul-Haq

Steps in Boiling process

a) Introduction of melted materials into kettle.
b) Separation of glycerin from soap

2 layers formed:
1. the upper layer composed of a curdy mass of impure
soap
p
2. the lower layer is an aqeuous salt containing the
glycerin dissolved in it

c) Addition of strong caustic solution and

boiling for several hours.
d) Pitching and Settling

transformation of soap into neat form and the

g matter
final removal of dirt and coloring
Prepared by Dr. Noaman Ul-Haq

2. Hydrolyzer Process
in this process, the fat is split into fatty acids
and glycerin by means of water splitting at a
high temperature and pressure in the
presence of catalysts (zinc soap)

e.g.
Splitting reaction:
(RCOO)3C3H5 + 3H2O
fat
water

3RCOOH
fatty acid

C3H5(OH)3
glycerin

considered as more economical than boiling

process because it takes lesser time
process,
time, less
factory space, improved quality and better
control of p
product characteristics
Prepared by Dr. Noaman Ul-Haq

3. Semi boiling Process

h
has th
the advantage
d
t
b
by allowing
ll i water
t
adjustment, the direct production of either
neat soap
soap, middle soap
soap, or in some nigre
(liquid soap)

Prepared by Dr. Noaman Ul-Haq

Principal Sequences in Soap

M ki
Making

Principal Sequences in Soap Making

using Water Splitting and Neutralization
1. Transportation of fats and oils
2 Transportation
2.
T
t ti and
d manufacture
f t
off caustic
ti
soda
3 Blending
3.
Bl di off the
th catalyst,
t l t zinc
i oxide
id with
ith
melted fat and heating with stream takes
place in the blend tank
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10

4. Hot melted fats and catalysts are introduced

into the bottom of the hydrolyzer
5. Splitting of fat takes place counter currently
in the hydrolyzer at 250C
250 C and 4
4.1
1 MPa
MPa,
continuously, the fat globules rising against
a descending
g aqueous
q
p
phase
6. The aqueous phase, having dissolved the
split
p g
glycerin
y
((about 12%),
) falls and
separated
7. The glycerin water phase is evaporated and
purified
8. The fatty acid phase at the top of the
hydrolyzer is dried by flashing off the water
by Dr. Noaman Ul-Haq
11
and further Prepared
heated

9. In a high vacuum, still the fatty acids are

di till d ffrom th
distilled
the b
bottoms
tt
and
d rectified
tifi d
10. The soap is formed by continuous
neutralization with 50% caustic soda in a
high speed mixer neutralizer.

at this point the neat soap analyzes:

a) 0.02 to 0.10% NaOH
b) 0.3 to 0.6% NaCl
c) approx. 30% water

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11. Finishing Operations

a)) Th
The pressure on th
the neatt soap rose to
t 3.5
3 5 MP
MPa,
and the soap is heated to about 200C in a high
pressure steam exchanger
b) This heated soap is released to a flashed tank at
atmospheric pressure, where partial drying (to
about 20%) takes place because the soap
solution is well above its boiling point at
atmospheric pressure
c) This viscous and pasty soap is mixed with the
desired amount of air in a mechanical-scraped
wall heat-exchanger, where the soap is also
cooled brine circulation in the outer shell from
105C to about 65C
d) To complete the process, cooling, stamping, and
wrapping of the product follows
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Chemistry in Soap
The most important carboxylic acids used
in soap making are the naturally occurring
fatty acids that contain 12
12, 14
14, 16
16, 18
carbon atoms.
These are straight
straight-chain
chain acids found in
fats and oils as esters of glycerin, as
glycerides.
glycerides

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Table 1. Important fatty Acids in Soaps

Name

C atoms

Structure

Lauric acid
Linoleic acid
Linoleic acid
Myristic acid

12
18
18
14

Saturated
Unsaturated: 2 double bonds
Unsaturated: 3 double bonds
Saturated

Oleic acid
Palmitic acid
Recinoleic acid

18
16
18

Stearic acid

18

Unsaturated: 1 double bonds

Saturated
Unsaturated: 2 double bond
d1h
hydroxyl
d
l group
and
Saturated

Prepared by Dr. Noaman Ul-Haq

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Table 2. Common Fats and Oils used in

S
Soap
making
ki
Name

Fatty acid Constituents

Beef tallow

Oleic, palmiti, stearic acids

Coconut oil

Lauric myristic acids

Lauric,

Castor oil

Ricinolic acid

Lard

Linoleic, oleic, palmiti acids

Palm oil

Oleic palmitic acids

Oleic,
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Fatty acids

components
p
of fats and oils that are weak acid which are
composed of two parts:
1)
2)

Carboxylic group
Hydrocarbon chain

Chemical Reactions

The following is an example of chemical reactions in soap

having one of the fatty acids used in soap making:

(C17H35COO)C3H5 + 3H2O
glycerin
stearate
C17H35COOH + NaOH
stearic acid
caustic
soda

3C17H35COOH + C3H3(OH)3
stearic acid
glycerin

C17H35COONa +
sodium
stearate

Prepared by Dr. Noaman Ul-Haq

H2O

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Types of Soaps
1. Framed soaps

usually made by pumping molten neat soap into

molds or frames to cool

2. Floating soaps

the molten neat soap is either aerated and then

rapidly
idl chilled
hill d or chilled
hill d tto a semisolid
i lid condition
diti and
d
then chilled

3 Milled soaps
3.

soap products that undergone milling process

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4. Granulated soaps, beads, powders

tto produce
d
such
h products,
d t spray d
drying
i
method are applied

5 Medicated soaps
5.
soap itself has germicidal power against
some organisms and many of the cationic
synthetic detergents are strongly germicidal

6. Textile soaps
p
soaps used in textile or clothing industry

7. Shaving
g creams
usually mixtures of potash and soda soaps
of tallow and coconut oil
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Cleansing Action

Soap
p solution owe their cleansing
gp
power to:
1.
2.

The ease with which they wet dirty clothing, dishes, etc.
The fact that they form emulsions and prevent its return to the
article being washed

Soapy water penetrates and spreads over the surface of

immersed articles much more readily than plain water; thus its
wetting power is greater
Pure water cannot dissolve grease

How soap cleanses:

the surfactant molecules of soaps, especially detergents have

polar, or hydrophilic ends, which attract water molecules;
nonpolar or hydrophobic ends which lacks attraction to water
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 As these molecules lower the waters surface

tension they improve the water
tension,
waters
s ability to
penetrate and loosen the grease or oil, present
in the articles being washed.
Surface tension
happens when the water molecule in the body of
water is surrounded and attracted by other water
molecules; however, at the surface, those molecules
are surrounded by other water molecules only on the
side

Micelle
formed when surfactants aggregates
gg g
helps
p in
loosening dirt attached to articles being washed,
when loosened up, the dirt being washed or rinsed
awayy byy the water
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Some resolutions
1. A varietyy of emollient materials, such as shea
or cocoa butters, are substantive to the skin.
2. Poorly finished soaps contain alkali, NaOH
react mildly with skin and fabrics; commercial
products are finished to neutrality or to weak
acid content to prevent this and be more
compatible with the skins
skin s acidic pH
pH.
3. Commercial products use chelating molecules,
often EDTA derivatives to bind with any free Ca
or Mg
M ions
i
and
d prevent soap scum. Th
These also
l
help reduce fragrance loss, discoloration and
rancidity.
y
Prepared by Dr. Noaman Ul-Haq

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Advantages and Disadvantages

Veryy effective as a
bactericide,
It will form gels, emulsify
oil and lower the surfaces
tension of water.
SAMPLE PRODUCT:
PRODUCT
IVORY

When used in hard water,

soap can produced a
scum.
Considerable rinsing is
required to remove soap
scum.
Soap may produce a
greasy build-up on the
surface which can be
slippery.
slippery
More expensive than
synthetic detergents.

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Further Reading
Chapter 29
29, Soap and Detergents;
Shreves Chemical Process Industries.

Prepared by Dr. Noaman Ul-Haq

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