Production of Bar Soap
CHAPTER ONE
AIMS OF THE STUDY
The basic aim of this project is to produce a soap in bars which can be used in household (domestic washing and cleansing) and also in industries for washing of factory tools and machines. It aims at producing a soap which is capable of removing stains and dirt so as to ensure a neat and healthy environment.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
The earliest recorded evidence of the production of soap-like materials dates back to around 2800BC in ancient Babylon. In the reign of Nabonichis, (556 – 539BCE), a recipe for soaps consisted of Uhulu (ashes), cypress (oil) and sesame (seed oil) were used for washing the stones for the servant girls. A formula for soap consisting of water alkali and cassia oil was written on a Babylonian clay tablet around 2200BC. The Ebers payrus (Egypt 1550BC) indicates that ancient Egyptians bathed regularly and combined animal and =vegetable oils with alkaline salts to create a soap like substance. Egyptians documents mention that a soap-like substance was used in the preparation of wool for weaving (Willlcox, 2000).
In the Roman History, the “Sapo” was the Latin word for soap. It was likely borrowed from early Germanic language and is cognate with the Latin sebum called “Tallow”, which appears in Pliny, the Elder’s account. Its first appearance in Pliny. The Elder’s Historian Naturalists, discuss the manufacture of soap from Tallow and Ashes. But the only use be mentioned for it is as a pomade for hair. He mentioned disapprovingly that men of the Gauls and Germans were more likely to use it than their female counterparts. Then, Aretaceus of Capadocia wrote on this in the first century AD. He observed that those substances that are made into balls are called soaps (Adams, 1856).
A popular belief encountered in some places claims that soap takes its name from a supposed “Mount sapo”, where animal sacrifices were supposed to take place. The Tallow from these scarifies would then have mixed with ashes from fires, associated with these sacrifices and with water to produce soap. But there is no evidence of a mount sapo within the Roman world and no evidence for the approcryphal story (Adams, 1856).
In France, the semi-industrialized professional manufacturers of soap by the second half of the 15th century, was concentrated in a few centers of province – Toulon, Hyeres and Marseille – which supplies the rest of France. In Marseille production was concentrated in at least two factories and soap production tended to eclipse the other provincial centers. The English manufacturers were based in London. Time soaps were later produced in Europe from the 16th century, using vegetable oils (such as Olive oil) as opposed to animal fats. Many of these soaps are still produced, both industrially and by small-scale artisans. The castile soap is a poplar example of the vegetable oil soaps derived by the oldest “white soap” of Italy (Net, 1936).
CHAPTER THREE
MATERIAL AND METHODOLOGY
MATERIALS
Several materials are put together in different volumes and proportion to produce the bar soap. The material used in the production of bar soap include:
- Caustic soda
- Palm kernel
- Sodium silicate
- Foaming agent
- Soda ash
- Borax salt Na2B4O710H2O
- Perfume
- Water (Distilled)
- Hydrometer gauge
- Colour
- Vitamin E
- Glycerin
The equipment in the production of bar soap include
- Bowl of about 50 litres
- Mould
- Stirrer
- Cutter
CHEMISTRY OF SOAP PRODUCTION
The basic chemical reaction in soap making is shown below:
3NaOH + C17H35 [COO]3C3H5 3C17H35
The process is known as saponification. The controlling chemical reaction is after separation from the valuable glycerin to neutralize fatty acid with caustic soda solution
3C17H35 [COO] C3H5 + 3H2O 3C17H35COOH + C3H5 [OH]3
It should be noted that usually fats and oils of commerce are not compared of the glycerin of anyone fatty acids, but a mixture. However, some individual fatty acids of 90% purity or better are available by special processing.
Since the solubility of the sodium salts of the various fatty acids differ considerably. The soap maker choose his raw material according to the properties desired with due consideration to the market price (Thorsten 2005).
PRODUCTION PROCEDURE
In the production of bar soaps, cold process method was employed. In the process, all necessary precaution were taken into consideration. The sections on soap making process were carefully read and accurate digital scale was used to weigh the quality of materials used.
After the materials for the production have been assembled the palm kernel oil was heated to 100C and it is then poured into a separate bowl. Then, a portion of distilled water at room temperature was also poured into the bowl.
CHAPTER FOUR
RESULTS AND ANALYSIS
RESULTS
The result of the bar soap production was made possible by various constituents. In the mixing and stirring the soap, tracing occurred which describes the consistency or thickness of the soap. Within half an hour of pouring the soap into the mould, it soap is noticed to be hotter and continuously turning dark in the middle. Bubbles was also seen on the surface of the soap. This shows that the soap was properly neutralizing.
A test on the use of the produced bar soap proved that the product is capable of delivering the desired aim of production.
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF SOAP
The palm kernel oil contained liaoleic acid, stearic acid and palmitic acid needed to donate the COO– group reaction with sodium (Na+). The addition of palm kernel oil makes the soap pleasant, moderate and aesthetic. The oxidation of glycerin softens the soap and makes it pure (Thorsten, 2005).
The solubility resulted form the length of carbon chain length of fatty acid. The caustic soda is neutralized by the palm kernel oil with exothermic reaction at 1250C. Other additives makes aesthetic and moderately pleasant and the oxidation of glycerin which softens, forming pure soap. The aqueous sodium chloride facilitates the saponification process and made it separable and soluble at low electrolyte concentration. Other additives such as colourant, foamer, perfume, all alters the odour and creates a moderately pleasant soap.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSION
SUMMARY
Soaps are cleaning compounds produced by the saponification of oils, fats or grease with an alkali. They are seen to have an integral part of in the society as it is used for cleaning, to reduce the population size of pathogenic micro-organisms. It is of three types (the washing soap, liquid soap and detergent). In soap production, several method can be employed. Some of these methods are: batch or continuous process, hot process, cold process etc. But in this content, the cold process was used to achieve the desired result of the research work.
RECOMMENDTAION
The use of soap as cleaning agent should be a vital aspect of man and his environment as it helps to reduce the population size of pathogenic micro-organisms by proper hygiene. It is therefore recommended in every household for keeping man and his environment neat and tidy and consequently create a disease free and healthy environment.
Furthermore the soap is recommended for us in industries in various function. Its use is seen in the washing of machines, tools and equipment in the washing of industrial safety wears and keeping the entire environment neat for convincing in production.
The production of soap is recommended to all other areas of man; in schools, hospitals, offices etc. The production process is recommended to science student in creating of self employed job opportunities and in the development of the use of soap.
CONCLUSION
The importance of soap in our society today cannot be over emphasized. Its role in the cleansing of man and his environment has created a convenient, befitting and accomodable environment for man to inhibit. It also provide a breath of fresh air to man and makes him comfortable to settle in his environment. Any society without soap or any of its alternatives is prone to a diseased, destructive and contaminated society. Such society is prone to bacterial, fungal or virus infection by micro-organisms which can to so many disease and sickness and even each man and animals in such environment.
In conclusion, the presence of soap in our society provides good health and long life as well as an accomodable environment for man and all other living thing. It also assist in the course of maintain the life span of some useful objects as cleaning is part of maintenance scheme.
REFERENCES
- Adams, F (1856). “Journal of the History of Media”. Analolian Galatia.
- Barthelemy, L. (1883). “La Savonnerie Marseise”. Pp 660.
- Dunn, K.M. (2010). “Scientific Soap making: The chemistry of cold process”. Calvicula press limited.
- Harvey Robinson, J. (1904) “Reading in European History” Vol. I Gum and Co Publishers Limited.
- Merilyn, M. (1979) “The Art of Soap making” Harrowsmitt Contemporary Primer. Firefly publication books limited.
- Miller, S.C. (1994) “The natural Soap Book”. Storey Publishers limited.
- Nef, J.U (1936) “A Comparison of industrial Growth in France and England Pp 1540 to 1640 Vol III.
- Thomssen, E.G., Ph.D (1922) “Soap making Marval” Project Gutenberg Publishers Limited.
- Thorsten, B. (2005) “Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry” Illmann’s publications Limited, weinheim.
- Willcox, M. (2000). “Poucher’s Performance Cosmetics and Soaps” Kluwer Academic Publishers limited, Dordrecht.
