Fatty acid-potassium soap systems

Molecular Association in Fatty Acid-Potassium Soap Systems... 

The composition data obtained for the series of mixed fatty acid-potassium soap systems, prepared by both the ethanol and petroleum ether routes, lend strong support to the formation of 1 to 1 acid-soap complexes. It is of interest to inquire into the phase relationships in these two-component systems. A phase diagram presented by McBain and Field (15) for the lauric acid-potassium laurate system shows that compound formation takes place between the two components at the 1 to 1 molar ratio, but the compound undergoes melting with decomposition at 91.3 °C. [A similar type of phase behavior has been reported by us for the sodium alkyl sulfate-alkyl alcohol (9) and sodium alkyl sulfonate-alkyl alcohol (12) systems, but in these cases the stoichiometry is 2 to 1]. 

Demix . [Arizona] Disproportionated tall oil pr. emulsifiers, as base stock for prod, of sodium and potassium soaps of fatty acid/rosin acid emulsifier systems in SBR mfg. 

A typical recipe for emulsion polymerization in parts by weight consists of 180 parts of water, 100 parts of monomer, 5 parts of fatty acid soap (emulsifying agent), and 0.5 parts of potassium persulfate (water-soluble initiator). The question, of course, is how these eomponents are distributed within the system. By definition, soaps are sodium or potassium salts of oiganic acids, for example, sodium stearate ... 

Transesterification of oil from waste oilseed fiuits with methanol was studied in both homogeneous and heterogeneous catalyzed systems. Potassium loaded on lTQ-6 (Delaminated zeolite lTQ-6) by ionic exchange was found to be an efficient base catalyst, which produced 87% biodiesel. The optimum conditions were found to be 1 20 ratio of oil to MeOH at 180° C with 5% catalyst with reaction time of 48 h. Though potassium leaching was observed, which led to deactivation of the catalyst, its regeneration and reusability were easy to perform [82], The catalyst was also reported to be active in the conversion of oil containing free fatty acids (5.58%) without any soap formation and functions as acid ase catalyst. 

Until the early 1950s, the major method of emulsion polymerisation involved water-soluble initiators, such as potassium persulphate, being used to initiate polymerisation in an emulsion system stabilised by a fatty acid soap. Molecular weight was controlled by the use of a mercaptan and polymerisation proceeded at about 50 °C until approximately 72% of the monomer had been converted into polymer. This process yielded the so-called hot rubbers. Today, the bulk of SBR materials are prepared using so-called redox initiators which comprise a reductant such as ferrous sulphate with sodium formaldehyde sulphoxylate in combination with an oxidant such as /7-menthane hydroperoxide. In this case, the polymerisation temperatures are as low as 5 °C and conversion of monomer to polymer is only about 60%. Both the hot and cold rubbers are taken to number average molecular masses (molecular weights) of about 100 000, unless they are being used for oil extension (see later). 

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