Experiment 14:

Saponification: Soap-making
Pre-lab and Post-lab Discussion + Experimental Results
Pre-Lab Discussion
Saponification
• Saponification or the formation of soap refers to the hydrolysis of the
ester linkages in a fat or oil sample forming glycerol and fatty acid
salts.
Hydrolyzing Agents
• Saponification process employs the addition of hydrolyzing agents to
cleave the ester bonds.

• NaOH = solid bar soaps

• KOH = liquid soaps
Soap Additives
• Only additives: coloring powder, essential/fragrance oils, herbal
extracts

• Must be oil-based to avoid dehydration of skin and to avoid

interference in soap-making
Soap Making
• Can be done through two processes:
• Hot process – addition of heat for faster process
• Cold process – mixing the components manually

• Each process would have their respective advantages and

disadvantages.
Tracing and Curing Period
• Tracing occurs when the mixture almost solidifies.

• Curing period is the time given for the soap to form completely by
letting all the base react with the oil sample.
• Time depends on the process (cold or hot)
Experimental Results
Cold Process
• Mix the components
Cold Process
• Stirring constantly for around 30 minutes
Cold Process
24- 36 horus for it to hardem, curing is 5-6 weeks

• When tracing happens, put into mold

Hot Process
• Mix the components and heat
mix lahat then heat
Hot Process
• Stir constantly, solids eventually appear (faster than cold process)
Hot Process
• Tracing starts to occur
Hot Process
• Soap solidifies
Hot Process
• When tracing happens, put into mold
Links to Watch
• Please watch the following videos for the visualization of soap-
making through the two processes:

• Hot Process: https://youtu.be/vcCOruzFTgQ

• Cold Process: https://youtu.be/f87XTLIv_dY
Post-Lab Discussion
Saponification Reaction Mechanism

• Saponification is irreversible
• Since the carboxylate ion is already negatively charged, which
makes it very unreactive towards nucleophilic substitution
• Tracing: indication that the process is 90% complete and the lye will
no longer separate from the oil
• Soap is allowed to cure for 5-6 weeks for the NaOH to be completely
consumed cold process, 1 week sa hot
Hot Process vs. Cold Process
HOT PROCESS COLD PROCESS
• Ends as soon as the ‘cooking’ • Takes 24-36 hours
finishes
• Since lye is used up already, • Adding additives may react
any additives added will not with the base
be affected by the base
• “rough” appearance • Less dense and smoother
mixture
Solubility of Soap in Water
• The sodium salts of long chain carboxylic acids (soaps) are almost
completely miscible in water

• Due to formation of micelles

Micelles
• The miscibility of soaps in water is not due to only one carboxylate
ion
• Because the surfaces of the micelles are negatively charged,
individual micelles repel each other and remain dispersed throughout
the aqueous phase
Soaps as Cleansing Agents
• Soaps allow water to remove normally-insoluble matter by
emulsification
• Most dirt particles are surrounded by a layer of oil or fat; thus, water
molecules alone cannot clean surfaces because it cannot penetrate
through this layer
Soaps as Cleansing Agents
• Soaps contain two ends: a long hydrophobic (nonpolar) tail and an
ionic hydrophilic (water-loving) head.
• The hydrophobic part dissolves dirt and oils
• The hydrophilic part makes the dirt and oils soluble in water
Synthetic Detergents
• With sulfates or sulfonates as their polar groups
• Offer an advantage over soaps as they can function in hard water
(i.e., water containing Ca2+, Mg2+, Fe2+, and Fe3+)
form insoluble precipitates
• Water-softening soap additives
like calcium
▪ Compounds that bind with metal cations to prevent precipitation
with soap
▪ NaHCO3, Borax (sodium borate or sodium tetraborate), EDTA
compounds, citric acid