Stearic Acid

Stearic acid (octadecanoic acid, CAS 57-11-4) is a saturated long-chain fatty acid obtained by splitting and fractionating vegetable or animal fats. Commercial grades are described by their iodine value and titre, typically 1843, 1850, 1865 and 1898, where the numbers describe the stearic-to-palmitic ratio. It is used as a lubricant and release agent in rubber and plastics, as an emulsifier and thickener in cosmetics and creams, as a curing activator in rubber compounds together with zinc oxide, as a raw material for metallic stearates and esters, and in candle and polish manufacture.