Soaps are mixtures of sodium or potassium salts of fatty acids which can be derived from oils or fats by reacting them with an alkali (such as sodium or potassium hydroxide) at 80°–100 °C in a process known as saponification. fat + NaOH ---> glycerol + sodium salt of fatty acid
CH2-OOC-R - CH-OOC-R - CH2-OOC-R (fat) + 3 NaOH ( or KOH) both heated --->
CH2-OH -CH-OH - CH2-OH (glycerol) + 3 R-CO2-Na (soap) R=(CH2)14CH3
Soap is a cleansing agent created by the chemical reaction of a fatty acid with an alkali metal hydroxide. Chemically speaking, it is a salt composed of an alkalimetal, such as sodium or potassium, and a mixture of "fatty" carboxylic acids. The cleansing action of soap comes from its unique ability to surround oil particles, causing them to be dispersed in water and easily rinsed away. Soap has been used for centuries and continues to be widely used as a cleansing agent, mild antiseptic and ingestible antidote to some forms of poisoning. Soap is a salt of an alkali metal, such as sodium or potassium, with a mixture of "fatty" carboxylic acids. It is the result of a chemical reaction, called saponification, between triglycerides and a base such as sodium hydroxide. During this reaction, the triglycerides are broken down into their component fatty acids, and neutralized into salts by the base. In addition to soap, this chemical reaction produces glycerin. Soap has the general chemical formula RCOOX. The X represents an alkali metal, an element in the first column on the periodic table of elements. The R represents a hydrocarbon chain composed of a line of anywhere from 8-22 carbon atoms bonded together and surrounded by hydrogen atoms. An example of a soap molecule is sodium palmitate (C16).
How Is Soap Made?
Before the end of World War II, soap was manufactured by a "full-boiled" process. This process required mixing fats and oils in large, open kettles, with caustic soda (NaOH) in the presence of steam. With the addition