Stearic acid ( , ) is a saturated fatty acid with an 18-carbon chain.[ It is a soft solid with the formula .][ The triglyceride derived from three molecules of stearic acid is called stearin.][ Stearic acid is a prevalent fatty-acid in nature, found in many animal and vegetable fats, but is usually higher in animal fat than vegetable fat. It has a melting point of °C and a pKa of 4.50.]
Its name comes from the Greek language word στέαρ " stéar", which means tallow. The salts and of stearic acid are called stearates.[ As its ester, stearic acid is one of the most common saturated fatty acids found in nature and in the food supply, following palmitic acid.][Gunstone, F. D., John L. Harwood, and Albert J. Dijkstra "The Lipid Handbook with Cd-Rom. 3rd ed. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2007. | ] Dietary sources of stearic acid include meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, and foods prepared with fats; beef tallow, lard, butterfat, cocoa butter, and shea butter are rich fat sources of stearic acid.[
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Production
In terms of its biosynthesis, stearic acid is produced from palmitoyl-CoA, with malonyl-CoA a two-carbon building block (after decarboxylation).
Stearic acid is obtained from fats and oils by the saponification of the triglycerides using hot water (about 100 °C). The resulting mixture is then distilled.
Uses and occurrence
In general, the applications of stearic acid exploit its bifunctional character, with a polar head group that can be attached to metal cations and a nonpolar chain that confers solubility in organic solvents.[ The combination leads to uses as a surfactant and softening agent. Stearic acid undergoes the typical reactions of saturated carboxylic acids, a notable one being reduction to stearyl alcohol, and esterification with a range of alcohols.][ This is used in a large range of manufactures, from simple to complex electronic devices.][
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Food
Of the saturated fatty acids consumed in the United States, stearic acid consumption is second (26% of total saturated fatty acid intake) to palmitic acid (56% of total saturated fatty acid intake).[ Stearic acid is more abundant in animal fat (up to 33% in beef liver) than in vegetable fat (typically less than 5%).][ The important exceptions are the foods cocoa butter (34%) and shea butter, where the stearic acid content (as a triglyceride) is 28–45%.][
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Stearic acid (E number E570) is found in some foods.
Soaps and cosmetics
Stearic acid is mainly used in the production of detergents, soaps, and cosmetics such as and shaving cream products.[ Stearate soap, such as sodium stearate, could be made from stearic acid but instead are usually produced by saponification of stearic acid-containing triglycerides. of stearic acid with ethylene glycol (glycol stearate and glycol distearate) are used to produce a pearly effect in shampoos, soaps, and other cosmetic products.][
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Lubricants, softening and release agents
In view of the soft texture of the sodium salt, which is the main component of soap, other salts are also useful for their lubricating properties. Lithium stearate is an important component of grease. The stearate salts of zinc, calcium, cadmium, and lead are used as heat stabilizers for PVC. Stearic acid is used along with castor oil for preparing softeners in textile sizing. They are heated and mixed with caustic potash or caustic soda. Related salts are also commonly used as , e.g. in the production of automobile tires. As an example, it can be used to make from a plaster piece mold or waste mold, and to make a mold from a clay original. In this use, powdered stearic acid is mixed in water and the suspension is brushed onto the surface to be parted after casting. This reacts with the calcium in the plaster to form a thin layer of calcium stearate, which functions as a release agent.
Steric acid can be converted to zinc stearate, which is used as a lubricant for playing cards (fanning powder) to ensure a smooth motion when fanning. Stearic acid is a common lubricant during injection molding and pressing of ceramic powders.
Niche uses
Being inexpensive, nontoxic, and fairly inert, stearic acid finds many niche applications.[ Varied examples of stearic acid use in manufacturing include soaps and greases, household soap products, synthetic rubber, cosmetic and pharmaceutical creams and lotions, candles, phonograph records, lubricants, shoe and metal polishes, food packaging, and rubber compounds.][
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Stearic acid is used as a negative plate additive in the manufacture of lead-acid batteries. It is added at the rate of 0.6 g per kg of the oxide while preparing the paste. It is believed to enhance the of the negative plate, particularly during dry-charging process. It also reduces the extension of redox of the freshly formed lead (negative active material) when the plates are kept for drying in the open atmosphere after the process of tank formation. As a consequence, the charging time of a dry uncharged battery during initial filling and charging (IFC) is comparatively lower, as compared to a battery assembled with plates which do not contain stearic acid additive. Fatty acids are classic components of candle-making. Stearic acid is used along with simple sugar or corn syrup as a hardener in Candy.[
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Metabolism
An isotope labeling study in humans[
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Examples
- Salts
- Esters
External links
