PRELIMINARY STUDY ON THE PRODUCTION OF GLYCOL DISTEARATE FROM STEARIC ACID

• Main Author: Kristamar Ayabe, Olive
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/75111
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Glycol distearate is a diester derived from stearic acid and ethylene glycol, serving as an emulsifying agent, moisturizer, skin softener, and pearlescent agent in liquid or gel products. In this research, glycol distearate was produced through an esterification reaction. The objectives of this study were to compare the product yield of glycol distearate between the adapted process route studied by Zhang Ying et al. and the modified route by Hiware and Gaikar, to determine the impact of the raw materials used in glycol distearate production on the product yield, and to assess the quality of the obtained glycol distearate products from different reaction routes and raw materials. An improved variation with the best yield was also conducted. The most effective esterification reaction was achieved with the modified route by Hiware and Gaikar, yielding 49.23%, whereas the route by Zhang Ying et al. yielded 9.68%. Furthermore, the conversion rate of stearic acid was higher in the modified route by Hiware and Gaikar. The most effective variation is used for esterification reaction using illipe butter. Illipe butter has the potential to be an alternative source of vegetable oil as it contains 43.5% stearic acid (Darmawan, 2020). The application of the modified route with illipe butter resulted in a yield of 12.62%. Based on qualitative analysis, the product from the route by Zhang Ying et al. appeared whiter compared to the modified route by Hiware and Gaikar, while the pearlescent effect was the opposite. The quality of glycol distearate obtained from illipe butter was not as good as that obtained from stearic acid. In conclusion, although it has not undergone hydrolysis, illipe butter shows potential as a raw material for glycol distearate production.