Applications for Fatty Acids

Industrial Applications for Oleochemicals, Fatty Acids & Glycerin

Food Cosmetics Pharmaceuticals Textile

Plastic Soap Detergents

End Use	Chemistries	Functions/Uses
Foods, candies, edible emulsifiers	Stearates Mono-, diglycerides Polyglycerol esters Sorbitan esters Fatty acid lactylates Polyol esters Sucrose esters	Release agents Emulsifiers Softeners Antistaling agents Antispattering agents Taste, appearance, texture, volume & stability enhancers
Animal feed and suuplments, excluding fatty residues	Esters Stearates Mono, diglycerides Polyglycerol esters Sorbitan esters	Energy sources Emulsifiers Taste, appearance, texture enhancers
Personal care products, including cosmetics, toiletries, and pharmaceuticals	Fatty amines Alkanolamides Sulfate Protein fatty acid condensate Ethoxylate Esters Amphoterics	Shampoos Hair care products Skin care products Beauty products Surfactants Emulsifiers Consistency Factors Emollients Fermentation
Liquid and bar soaps	Soap Syndets	Shower gels Body washes Bar soap, including synthetic and combination bars Medicated bars Liquid hand soap
Household and industrial detergents, cleaners, and polishes, excluding toilet soaps	Sulfates Ethoxylates Soap Alkanolamides Amphoterics Fatty Amines	Surfactants Laundry bars Waterless hand cleaners Rubbing and buffing compounds Biocides
Household fabric softeners	Fatty amines Esterquats	Fabric softeners (direct addition and in combination with detergent
Textile fabric softeners and fiber lubricants	Quaternaries Esters Bisamides Amides Alkanolamines	Surfactant Softening Fiber lubricant Scouring agents
Paint and protective coatings, inks and adhesives	Quaternaries Alkyds Metallic stearates	Component of organomodified clays Pigment suspension Water repellency Thixotropic agents
Crayons, candles, waxes	Esters Stearates	Strength Mold release Non-drip candles Rheology modifiers
Paper chemicals	Stearates Bisamides Esters Surfactants	Coatings Sizes Defoamers Lubricants
Rubber, excluding emulsion polymerization	Primary amines Metallic amines	Mold release agents Vulcanization agents
Plastics, excluding emulsion polymerization	Bisamides Primary and secondary fatty amides Esters Fatty epoxides Metallic stearates	Lubricants (internal and external) Antistatic agents Heat stabilizers Catalyst scavengers Plasticizers Coupling Agents
Emulsion polymerization	Fatty acid soap Surfactants	Emulsifier
Asphalt additives	Quaternaries Disamine Bisamine	Emulsifiers Antistrip agent Rheology modifiers
Oil Field, corrosion inhibitors	Primary amines Tertiary amines Polyamines (amidoamines) Amphoterics Quaternaries Esters	Corrosion inhibitors Emulsifiers Emulsion breakers Drilling mud components
Mining	Primary amines Tertiary amines Polyamines (amidoamines)	Ore flotation Surfactants Dust control Dewatering
Transportation lubricants, industrial lubricants, greases and oil additives	Quaternaries Esters Stearates Primary and Secondary amides	Component of organomodified clays for greases Viscosity modifiers Synthetic motor oils Hydraulic oils Chain lubricants Carriers
Agricultural	Primary amines Esters Surfactants	Anticaking agents (fertilizer) Emulsifiers Adjuvants

What is the most important use of crude glycerine?

Glycerol / Glycerin is a major byproduct in the biodiesel manufacturing process. In general, for every 100 pounds of biodiesel produced, approximately 10 pounds of crude glycerol are created. As the biodiesel industry is rapidly expanding, a glut of crude glycerol is being created. This glycerol is expensive to purify for use in the food, pharmaceutical, or cosmetics industries, biodiesel producers must seek alternative methods for its disposal. Various methods for disposal and utilization of this crude glycerol have been attempted, including combustion, composting, anaerobic digestion, animal feeds, and thermochemical/biological conversions to value-added products. Businesses and researchers from around the globe are currently engaged in research and development projects, with the primary goal of developing Glycerin / Glycerol economically viable technologies capable of utilizing this overabundant resource.

A newly developed technology in the U.K. allows glycerin to be burned in off-the-shelf diesel generators that are used in combined-heat-and-power applications. The technology was developed by U.K.-based Aquafuel Research Ltd. According to Paul Day, Aquafuel’s chief executive officer, the technology is now commercially available.

The process uses standard diesel generators, which are altered slightly to run on a new combustion cycle, which is referred to as the McNeil cycle. “The basics of the engine, the fuel injection, the pistons and cylinder are not changed at all,” Day says. Paul Day estimates that 1 ton of glycerin will produce approximately 1.7 megawatt hours of electricity and approximately 2 megawatts of heat. In addition, the process creates few emissions.

An European company is working on a technology to use glycerin in plastics, that would use glycerin as a feedstock to produce plastics. Ireland-based Biobode Ltd. is developing this technology. Historically been difficulty to use glycerin to make plastics because the process created a cross-linked polymer with no significant commercial value. For biological conversions of crude glycerol, the glycerol serves as a feedstock in various fermentation processes.

Do you know you can use glycerin in the garden?

 Here’re the 6 Glycerin Uses You Need To Know!

1. As a Compost Activator

You can compost excess glycerin by-product as it is non-toxic and biodegrades quickly. It will need to be mixed thoroughly with other materials so that the air and bacteria can get at it, or it will just make a sticky mass — mix thoroughly with dry, “brown” materials, use in conjunction with other composting materials as only a part of the overall mix. The research report available in PDF format at University of Wisconsin’s website concludes that if the glycerin is used at the proper ratio, it works positively.

Another study from the University of Singapore suggests that mixing glycerin in compost boosts the growth of wheat grass, leading to an increase in shoot harvest and plant height. Glycerin also helps to heat up the compost pile to considerable temperatures, thereby creating an optimal environment for the growth and metabolism of soil bacteria. 

2. Enhance the Growth and Productivity of Plants

Glycerin acts as an effective vehicle to allow deeper penetration of plant regulators such as indole-beta-acetic acid. The consequence is a quick acceleration in the rooting and a greater quantity of harvest. Glycerin also functions as a nice solvent to heighten the efficacy of insecticides. Glycerin improves the root growth is proved in several studies if used as a foliar spray or soil drench. You can apply the glycerin in the concentration of 10 mL per liter as a foliar spray on your plants. Foliar sprays and drenches were administered to carrots at concentrations of 0, 1, 3, 5, 10, 25, or 50 ml per liter. Fresh weights, dry weights, and taproot diameter from carrot seedlings sprayed with a solution containing 5 mL·L−1 (50 mM) glycerol increased105.6%, 158.4%, and 53.8%, respectively, when compared with untreated carrots. Increasing the glycerol concentration above 10 mL per liter did not improve either shoot or root growth. The study conducted by Fahad AL Otaibi and Jeff Schoenau Department of Soil Science, University of Saskatchewan, Canada draws following conclusions: Utilization of glycerol as organic amendment could improve some soil conditions to enhance growth.

• Glycerol application at high rates can lead to immobilization of N and P in soils.
• Use of N-fixing rhizobia-legume symbiosis can be of benefit in overcoming N-limitations.
• Glycerol can increase soil organic matter content which has subsequent benefits to soils.
• Glycerol and microbial biofertilizers could be used together to enhance plant growth. Efficient inoculants that are superior in N-fixation should be selected and used

3. As a Stimulant of Soil Microbes

Glycerin has been found to boost the metabolism of nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the soil. Certain strains of bacteria utilize glycerol as a carbohydrate source to produce alcohol byproducts such as ethanol, butanol, and propanediol, as well as acetic acid. This enables them to replenish their energy stores to carry out important anabolic functions such as cell division, differentiation, motility, and growth. By allowing beneficial soil bacteria to thrive and colonize, glycerin indirectly promotes plants’ health.

4. As a Substitute for Water

There are not enough evidence to say if this works or not but you can try and experiment. Diluted solutions of glycerin can be used in place of water to moisten and aerate the peat moss. According to one study, Glycerol (0.1 to 10%) can be substituted for water to moisten peat moss around roots before shipping resulting in more successful transplanting. Narcissus sp. bulbs grown in gravel with diluted glycerol solutions exhibited greater growth and flowering.

5. As a Seed Germination Stimulant

Soaking seeds in a solution of diluted glycerin helps to counteract the adverse impact of salinity on growth and metabolism, thereby allowing seeds to germinate with greater vigor and exhibit higher levels of essential oils and alkaloids that promote health. In an experiment, seeds of Castor bean (Ricinus communis L.) soaked for 48 hours in 5, 25, or 50 mM glycerol or a mixture of 10:5, 25:10, and 50:15 mM glycerol:aspartic acid, respectively, resulted in seedlings exhibiting higher fresh and dry weights than seedlings obtained from water-soaked seeds.

6. Preserve Flowers

Flower preservation is returning as a popular hobby. Some brides want to save flowers from their wedding bouquet. Gardeners want to decorate their houses with flowers grown in their own flowerbeds. Unfortunately, any methods for preserving flowers leave the flowers brittle. One method for preserving flowers that retain a more life-like appearance is to dip them in a solution of glycerin and water.