Oleic Acid

Brief Overview

Oleic acid is a mono-unsaturated omega-9 unsaturated fatty acid that is naturally abundant in various animal and vegetable fats and oils. It is an odorless, colorless oil, although commercial samples may have a yellowish tint. In chemical terms, oleic acid is classified as a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid. The term "oleic" means related to or derived from, oil or olive, an oil that is predominantly composed of oleic acid.

Manufacturing Process

In general, the manufacturing process of oleic acid involves a mixture of fats consisting of beef tallow, lard, and vegetable oil. These mixed fatty acids are acquired by refining and hydrolyzing oil fat. The mixture of fatty acids is coldly compressed to obtain oleic and stearic acid. Afterward, a set of processes of dehydration and distillation is conducted to produce crude oleic acid and stearic acid as a by-product. The distillate of the process is collected to have 80% composition of oleic acid content.

Soap Industry

Oleic acid is an unsaturated fatty acid that contributes to a soap,s conditioning,moisturizing abilities. Oleic acid is what makes olive oil so popular among soapmakers worldwide. Contrary to popular belief, there are many oils that contain far more oleic acid than olive oil, including high oleic Sunflower, Safflower, and Canola oils, as well as more expensive luxury oils such as Hazelnut, Marula, Moringa, and Buriti oils.

Cosmetic Applications

It is used as an emollient in cosmetics. The water binding properties of the compound allows the formation of an oily layer to retain moisture of the skin. As the skin retains moisture, the skin remains healthy and moisturized.

Manufacturing Applications

It is used in the manufacturing of surfactants. Surfactants are used as a cleaning agent to remove stains from clothing. Oleic acid reduces the surface tension between two liquid phases (oil and water). In addition, plasticizer is manufactured from oleic acid. Plasticiser is an additive used to soften material by decreasing the viscosity during production.

Others

Small amounts of oleic acid are used as an excipient in pharmaceuticals. Oleic acid is also used as an emulsifying or solubilizing agent in aerosol products. Emulsifiers stabilize the mixture of oil and water phase liquid to prevent coalescence or separation.