Saponification is a chemical reaction between a strong base and a triglyceride that creates soap and glycerin. It can be achieved through two methods and has been used for centuries in soap making. The process can also be studied in the laboratory and has unexpected applications in forensics and art conservation.
Saponification is a chemical reaction between a strong base and a triglyceride that leads to the formation of a salt. This process involves hydrolysis, where water molecules split into hydroxide anions and hydrogen cations. The resulting salt can create an emulsion of oil and water for cleaning purposes and is better known by laymen as soap. This process also leads to the formation of glycerin, a chemical compound with a variety of uses.
There are two ways chemists can accomplish this reaction. In both cases we start from a material rich in triglyceride fats, such as animal or vegetable oil. One technique involves treating the fat with lye or another very strong base to saponify it, while the other approach requires two steps, one to vaporize the fat and another to treat it with alkali. This process tends to produce a purer quality soap and may also be less harsh on the skin.
The saponification process is one of the oldest chemical reactions known to man and has been used extensively for centuries in soap making. Soap makers might use melted animal fat in their work to make raw base soaps or vegetable oils such as olive oil for higher quality products. They also learned how to add fillers to soaps to make them less harsh, add fragrances, or create an exfoliating quality in the finished product. Some regions, such as France, are particularly famous for soap production.
In addition to being useful for making soap, this reaction can be observed and studied in the laboratory. Researchers can explore a variety of materials known to saponify under the right conditions to learn more about how, why and when this process occurs in nature. They can also determine the saponification number, which indirectly refers to the length of the fatty acid chains in triglycerides. The shorter the number, the longer the chains.
Two unexpected places where this process can be observed in nature are forensics and art conservation. For reasons unclear to researchers, some dead bodies saponify, usually when kept in moist conditions. All or part of the body may develop a waxy deposit known as adipocere, or grave wax, which is a result of this reaction. Art historians have also observed the process in some old oil paintings, the result of a chemical reaction with the oils used in paints.
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