Lab Report: Soap Making via Cold Process

Abstract— The experiment deals with the chemical reaction called Saponification, which is used to make soap, a salt. In this experiment, the experimenter could create an actual soap product while understanding the Saponification process. Better understanding of the Saponifcation process would mean better knowledge in the study of chemical reactions.

Keywords— Saponification, chemical reaction, salt, process, soap.

I.      Introduction

Soaps are one of the most common commodities in life. It is used as a surfactant for washing, bathing, and cleansing. The creation of soap has been going on for more than centuries, starting from the Romans up until now. The process remains unchanged and this process is called Saponification.

Saponification is a chemical reaction between a base and an acid. That being said, this experiment was done in order to observe and explain the Saponification process, and to come up with an actual soap product.

II.   Materials and Method

A.    Materials

·     Laboratory Materials

Ø  2 500 mL Beakers

Ø  1 100 mL Graduated Cylinder

Ø  1 Thermometer

Ø  1 Stirring Rod

Ø  1 Timer  

Ø  1 Plastic Basin

Ø  1 Stainless Steel Bowl

Ø  1 Hot Plate

·     Other Materials

Ø  10g Lye

Ø  77mL Cooking Oil/Vegetable Oil

Ø  1 Plastic Mold

Ø  Rubber gloves

Ø  Distilled Water

B.    Procedure

Ø  First, the experimenter poured the cooking oil/vegetable oil unto the graduated cylinder, to get the exact measurement of 77mL.

Ø  After measuring, the experimenter placed the 77mL cooking oil/vegetable in a beaker and then heated it using the hot plate until it reached 60 Celsius; this was to make sure that the 77mL cooking oil/vegetable oil would still be in prime temperature, 50 Celsius, when it is finally mixed with the Lye. The temperature was measured using the thermometer.

Ø  Next, the experimenter had to measure 23mL of distilled water using the graduated cylinder. The graduated cylinder must be clean of the remnants from step one.

Ø  The experimenter then, in a separate beaker, dissolved the 10 grams of Lye in the 23mL distilled water from step three by gradually dropping the Lye and stirring the solution, using the stirring rod. Once the Lye was dissolved its temperature was 50 Celsius. The temperature was measured using the thermometer.

Ø  After that, the experimenter had to transfer the heated oil in a plastic basin; once both mixtures have the same temperature of 50 Celsius. Then, the experimenter gradually poured the Lye solution in the basin and stirred it consistently for 11 minutes.

Ø  The experimenter, after the mixture had thickened, then transferred the mixture into the plastic mold and let it set for about 24-48 hours.

C.    Safety Precautions

Ø  Lye is a caustic chemical that can burn one’s skin. Protective clothing must be worn.

Ø  The experimenters should have vinegar by their side. As to neutralize the Lye if ever it spills or comes in contact with skin.

Ø  Dispose the chemical substances in the proper containers.

Ø  Handle the laboratory apparatuses with care so as not to break it.

III. Results

After performing the experiment, the following data were collected.

TABLE I

Observations

Time Elapsed	Changes in the Solution
	Discoloration	Consistency
6 minutes	Yellowish	Very watery
7 minutes	Yellowish	Watery
9 minutes	Light yellow	Less watery
11 minutes	Light yellow	Slightly thick

IV. Analysis and Discussion

The whole process of Saponification basically revolves around the base and the acid, which when combined forms a salt. For this experiment, Saponification is shown via the combination of canola oil, an acid, and lye, a base, to then create soap, which is a salt.

This entire process involves a lot of thinking before the actual experiment. The reason to this is because one must always have to consider the makeup of the acid and the base being used.

The base should always have one hydroxide ion. Hydroxide ion is a negatively charged molecule which when dissolved in water is an incredibly strong base. That is why the experimenters used lye. Lye is made up of one sodium ion and one hydroxide ion, the sodium ion though is not involved in the reaction.

The acid, on the other hand, can take form into different types but either way most types of acids will react with the base, then causing the reactants to saponify. Each types of acid, though, reacts differently to the base, lye.

The amount of base needed in order for it to react with the given acid depends on the acid’s chemical makeup. The reaction happens, however, only when the mixture is being stirred. As the mixture is being stirred, the acid and the base then finally react and first creates the chemical reaction called glycerol, which produces glycerin, a skin nourishing agent, and then allows the fatty acids to combine with the hydroxide ion of the base, which creates the chemical reaction, Saponification, and causes soap to be formed.

This experiment highly relies in the stirring of the acid and base mixture, for the stirring is what causes the reactants to react.  The longer the mixture is stirred, the thicker the mixture gets, and the more time the two reactants get to react.

That being said, one of the errors committed in this experiment by the experimenters is their short amount of time focused in stirring. Because of that the consistency of the mixture is not very thick. Their lack of time was caused by their late start in combining the acid and the base.

Therefore, the future experimenters who will also do this experiment should have good time management and clear details of how they are going to proceed with the experiment. Good time management would lead to more time allotted to stirring the mixtures which will then give more time for the reactants to react which will lead to a thicker consistency for the mixture and a better result or product.

V.    Conclusions

With the observations and newfound knowledge gathered, the experimenter who wrote this lab report therefore concludes that the Saponification process involves a lot of pre-experimental thinking and time management. Due to this experiment, the experimenter has learned a lot about Saponification and lastly, the experimenter was able to create soap.

References

[1] Study.com. (n.d.). Hydroxide ion: definition and formula. Retrieved March 13, 2016, from http://study.com/academy/lesson/hydroxide-ion-definition-formula.html.

[2] Homepage. (n.d). Making soap – saponification. Retrieved March 13, 2016, from http://homepage.smc.edu/walker_muriel/making_soap_Procedure.html.

[3] Hoegger Goat Supply. (2011).  Saponification explained. Retrieved March 13, 2016, from http://hoeggerfarmyard.com/the-farmyard/soap-making-2/saponification-explained/.

[4] Soap Making Resource. (n.d). Soap safety guide. Retrieved March 13, 2016, from http://www.soap-making-resource.com/soap-safety.html.

[5] Soap Making Resource. (n.d.). Cold process soap making tutorial a lesson in lye soap making. Retrieved March 13, 2016, from http://www.soap-making-resource.com/cold-process-soap-making.html.