1.

0 Summary

The objective of this experiment to produce the bar soap by using fatty acid from palm
oil,to determine pH test of the soap after curing and to determine amount of soap produce in the
experiment.

Fatty acids are merely carboxylic acids consisting of a long hydrocarbon chain at one end
and a carboxyl group (-COOH) at the other end. They are generally represented as RCOOH. If
the fatty acid has a single carbon-carbon double bond in the molecule, it is known as a mono-
unsaturated fatty acid.If a fatty acid has two or more carbon-carbon double bonds in the
molecule, it is known as poly-unsaturated fatty acid. Triglycerides are esters of fatty acids and
are formed by combining fatty acids with glycerol.Glycerol has three alcohol functional groups
(-OH group) and fatty acids have the carboxyl group (-COOH group). The soap molecule has
two parts: a polar group (-COO-Na+) and a non-polar group (R-hydrocarbon part). The polar
group is called the head and the non-polar group is called the tail

Method start with preparation of material and dilution of chemical. Then, the cooking oil
was poured in a basin. Half of solution of NaOH was poured in the cooking oil and stirred for 7
minutes. Next 7 minutes respectively, pour half of solution of sodium chloride and EDTA. All
the solution was poured in the cooking oil and stirred for 7 minutes and stirred until coagulated.
The pH value was tested by using pH indicator after the mixture had become coagulated. The
mixture was poured in a basin and flattened. The mixture was cooled down under air-conditioner
for 10 minutes. The mixture was cut into rectangular form, covered with tissue paper and use a
machine to shape it up to become a soap.

This experiment manages to get 21 bar of soap and have pH value 14. In this lab scale
production of soap, cooking oil as an ester and concentrated sodium hydroxide as a basic
solution were used. For saponification process, reactant involve is ester and sodium hydroxide
and produce carboxylic acid salt which is soap and alcohol. 1kg of cooking oil was used to react
with 1 mole sodium hydroxide solution. The sodium hydroxide acts as a dirt-carrier in type of
oil, fats and greases. As that dirt are hydrophobic then, positive charge of Na+ by sodium
hydroxide will dilute with it. One mole of sodium chloride solution was used in order to make
soap rigid and firm.

1
2.0 Introduction

Soap, from a chemical standpoint, is a salt (or a mixture of salts) of fatty acids. As with
all salts, soap contains a positive ion, usually Na+ or K+, and a negative ion, usually the anions
of long-chained carboxylic acids obtained by the hydrolysis of animal or vegetable fats. These
fatty acids, of which there are about 20 naturally occurring members, are carboxylic acids
containing 14, 16, or 18 carbon atoms in an unbranched chain. The even numbered chains result
from the fact that fats are synthesized in cells by the polymerization of a 2-carbon acetate unit.

In addition to the normal (straight chain) saturated acids, there occur several with
hydroxyl groups, and/or one or more double bonds in the carbon chain. the presence of
unsaturation (double bonds) in molecules of fatty acids, fats, or soup tend to lower the melting
point of these compounds and to cause them to be in the liquid state at room temperature. Thus,
vegetable fats are relatively unsaturated and liquid under the ordinary conditions, while animal
fats, being relatively more saturated, are solid, or semi-solid, at the same temperature. For this
reason, vegetable fats are commonly refereed to as vegetable oils. (We say relatively saturated,
or unsaturated because both vegetables oils and animal fats contain saturated and unsaturated
chains). The reason why double bonds lower the melting point of a fatty acid chain, is that the
sections of the chain attached to the double bond are attached cis-wise to each other (probably
because the double bond cis configuration produces a bent chain which does not easily adhere to
a neighboring chain by a Van der Waals attraction hence a lower temperature (lower mobility) is
required for these molecules to adhere in order to form a solid crystal lattice. It is interesting to
note, that straight chained carboxylic acids having an odd number of carbon atoms melt lower
than even chained acids of comparable molecular weights.

2.1 Objectives

1. To produce the bar Soap by using Fatty acid from palm oil.
2. To determine pH test of the soap after curing.
3. To determine amount of soap produce in the experiment

2
3.0 Methodology

1) The water was heated until range

temperature of 60˚C to 70˚C.Then filled
1000 g the pot with cooking oil ,
continue heated and stirred.

2) The ½ of 167.82g (diluted with

167.82g Dl water) of Naoh, 33.57g
(Diluted with 33.57 Dl water) of NaCI,
and 3.36g of EDTA was poured at
interval 10minutes each of Naoh, NaCl
and EDTA into the pot of heated
cooking oil and stirred continuously.
Then pour the other ½ of Naoh, NaCl
and EDTA solution into the pot at
interval of 7 minutes when each
solution poured into the pot.

3
3) It was then continued to stir until the
solution it was formed a white soft
solid. The soap was produced.

4) Then, the ¾ of white soft solid

soap was poured into a tray and
record the pH of the soap by using
litmus paper before it was cutting
into square size to get it into
square shape of soap.

4
4.0 Result

Figure 1: Soap after been cooled in the room temperature with air conditioner
pH value of soap pH 14 (alkaline)
Amount of soap 21 bars

5
5.0 Discussion

Soap, from a chemical standpoint, is a salt (or a mixture of salts) of fatty acids. As with
all salts, soap contains a positive ion, usually Na+ or K+, and a negative ion, usually the anions
of long-chained carboxylic acids obtained by the hydrolysis of animal or vegetable fats. These
fatty acids, of which there are about 20 naturally occurring members, are carboxylic acids
containing 14, 16, or 18 carbon atoms in an unbranched chain. The even numbered chains result
from the fact that fats are synthesized in cells by the polymerization of a 2-carbon acetate unit.

The experiment was conducted in order to produce bar soap by using Fatty acid from
palm oil through saponification reaction. Based on our result, we observed that the temperature
of 70˚C for water bath was maintained through all the reaction. Every addition of sodium
hydroxide, sodium chloride and EDTA is 7 minutes time interval respectively for half of each.
Firstly, cooking oil react with NaOH solution is main reaction that forms soap which is when an
alkali is reacted with a fat or oil (which are mild acids) its called saponification. This leads to a
long molecule that has a water soluble end and a fat soluble end and hence the ability to dissolve
greasy compounds into water. After 7 minutes, half of NaCl solution was poured into the
reaction. It is because it helps to bind and harden the soap, which is why liquid soaps do not
contain sodium chloride. Further, NaCl contains trace minerals such as magnesium, calcium,
bromine and potassium that help the body to nourish and heal itself. After that, the EDTA was
poured into the reaction. This is because it used to create a stable chemical compound that is
soluble in water and ‘hold’ components that otherwise may precipitate or fall out.

After all half of reactants were put into the reaction, mixed the reaction together in the
pan until it become homogenous mixer about 7 minutes and put all the all the reactants into the
mixer to complete or to mix well and produce the soap. As the reaction uses strong base to react
with the ester, thus the soap is typically alkaline with pH around 12-14. For this experiment, the
pH value of soap is 14. In industry, the allowed pH range of soap to be commercialized is around
7-9. After the soap had been cooled in the room temperature at the small container, it was cut in
rectangle shape then been shaped by machine with high pressure applied. Final result, the total
amount of soap is 21 bars, experimentally.

6
 The number of production soap is depend on the quantity of the oil used. This is because,
NaOH solution need to produce soap depend on the quantity oil and NaCl solution depend on the
quantity NaOH solution to add on. Moreover, EDTA, is influence by NaCl to add on on the soap.
Thus, the larger the quantity of oil use, the higher the number bar soap can be produced.

7
6.0 Conclusion

In conclusion, this experiment manages to get 21 bar of soap and have pH value 14. This
experiment about making soap (saponification) by reacting the fat from cooking oil which is ester
with strong alkaline which is sodium hydroxide . In this experiment, fat act as hydrophobic tail
and sodium ion that attached to fat chain act as hydrophilic head which is acts as a dirt-carrier.
Sodium chloride act to increase the density of soap. EDTA acts as chelating agent that sequesters
metals that the bacteria require in order to grow. The pH value of soap of experiment is slightly
more alkaline which is 14 than pH value allowed in industry which is in range of 9-11.

6.1 Recommendation

In order to improve the result of the experiment, some step can be taken. First, cool the
soap for longer time in order to make soap more solid and easier to handle. Then, when diluting
sodium chloride and sodium hydroxide using distilled water, its better use heated distilled water
to make sure that the reactant soluble in water. Due pH value of soap is too alkaline, weighing of
sodium chloride and sodium hydroxide need to carry out twice to make sure the precision of the
weight.

8
7.0 Tutorials

1. What is an acceptable pH range for hand/body soap.

Ph 7-10

2. Describe the function of each ingredient based on the properties of the products you
prepared.

Cooking oil : As fat molecule which is composed of triglycerides. In soap, it will act as
hydrophobic tail in formation of salt of fatty acid or soap.

Sodium hydroxide : It dissolves greases, oils and fats. Dirt attaches to these. That's how
soap cleans hair and skin.

Without it, the soap wouldn't work very well because greases and oils are hydrophobic.
increases the density of the aqueous solution and the soap will float out from the solution.

Sodium chloride : Increases the density of the aqueous solution and the soap will float out
from the solution. Salt may be added to help curdle the soap.
In its simplest term, this is salt. Sodium chloride helps to bind and harden the soap, which
is why liquid soaps do not contain sodium chloride.
Further, sodium chloride contains trace minerals such as magnesium, calcium, bromine
and potassium that help the body to nourish and heal itself.

EDTA: Acts as chelating agent that sequesters metals that the bacteria require in order to
grow. controlling / binding metal ions over a broad pH range in aqueous (water-based)
systems.

3. The saponification reaction is given by the reaction below:

9
Given relative atomic mass of C(12), H(1), O(16), Na (23), Calculate the amount of reactant
needed to produce 700 g of soap.

Mass= molecular mass x mole

Number of mole= mass/molecular mass

700g/306g𝑚𝑜𝑙 −1 =2.2876 mol

2.2876mol of sodium stearate= 700gram

3 mol of Naoh= 3 mol of Sodium strearate

2.2876mol of Sodium Strearate = 2.2876mol of Naoh

2.2876mol x 40 g𝑚𝑜𝑙 −1 = 91.5032 gram Naoh

1 mol of ester= 3 mol of Sodium strearate

1/3 x 2.2876 mol =0.7625mol

0.7625mol x 891 g mol−1 =679.4172gram of ester.

1 mol of glycerol = 3 mol of Sodium stearate

1/3 x 2.2876 mol =0.7625mol

0.7625mol x 92 g mol−1 = 70.15 gram of glycerol

10
8.0 References

 Austin, G.T. (1987) Shreve Chemical Process Industries, 5th Ed. McGraw Hill.

 Hamm, W. & Hamilton, R.J. (2000). Edible Oil Processing (Chemistry and Technology

of Oil and Fats). CRC Press

 Personal Care Formulas: Cosmetics & Toiletries (1998). Allured Pub. Corb.

 Jakobi, G.& Lohr, A (1987), Detergents and Textile Washing: Principles and Practice.

VGH, Wienheim.

11