Stearic Acid Candle Grade
Manufacturing Process
Candle-grade stearic acid is produced by the hydrolysis reaction of fats and oils under high pressure and high temperature. The hydrolysis reaction yields a chain of fatty acids and glycerol. Fatty acids are purified by washing and fractional distillation. Fractional columns allow the condensation of any fatty acid compound. Stearic acid distillate is collected from the fractionated column.
Applications
Stearic acid is used in the candle manufacturing industry as an additive to improve product properties. The skin-softening properties of stearic acid help adjust the hardness of the candle. This compound is also used to reduce the transparency of the wax. Also, the addition of stearic acid raises the melting point of paraffin in the wax. This will increase the burning time of the wax. Stearic acid has suppressive properties that allow the candle to retain its scent. The addition of stearic acid significantly reduces the transfer of scent.