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The Effect of Coconut Oil Concentrations on Soap. Sara Sheridan . Question . How do different concentrations of coconut oil used in the saponification process affect the cleaning abilities of soap?. Background Information . First records of soap were found in Egyptian ruins Base
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The Effect of Coconut Oil Concentrations on Soap Sara Sheridan
Question • How do different concentrations of coconut oil used in the saponification process affect the cleaning abilities of soap?
Background Information • First records of soap were found in Egyptian ruins • Base • Soap: salt of a fatty acid • Saponification: process through which soap is made • Natural saponification: glycerin is not removed • Purification of soap requires sodium hydroxide • Soap molecules are essentially fatty acid chains • Soap is used to remove dirt and oils from other solutions and surfaces
Hypothesis • If three different concentrations of coconut oil are used during saponificationthen the highest concentrated soap will be the most effective and produce the most amount of suds.
Materials • Coconut oil • Sodium hydroxide solution, 3 M • Distilled water • Stirring rod • Supersaturated sodium chloride solution • Cheesecloth • Filter paper • Soap mold • Peppermint oil • (1) 500 mL graduated cylinders • 3 (50) mL graduated cylinders • 3(200) mL graduated cylinders • Stirring rods • Beaker tongs • Hot plate • Parafilm • Goggles • Gloves
Procedure (Saponification) • Place 10 mL coconut oil and 15 mL of 3 M sodium hydroxide into a 100-mL beaker • Using a hot plate, heat the mixture to a gentle boil. Stir constantly for twenty minutes. • Wash this crude soap mixture with 15 mL of distilled water and 5 mL of hot saturated sodium chloride (“salting out” the soap). • Break up lumps of soap with a stirring rod • Decant the wash solution by pouring it through the cheesecloth. • Repeat the washing procedure twice. • After the last washing, press the soap between two pieces of filter paper to expel as much water as possible • Add a few drops of peppermint oil, pack it into the soap mold, and let it dry overnight. • Unmold the soap and test its sudsing ability.
Procedure (Sudsing) • Mix .5 grams of each variation of soap with 10 mL of water in a 50 mL graduated cylinder • Cover the graduated cylinder with Parafilm • Shake consistently for 2 minutes straight • Measure volume of suds
Variables • Independent: • Amount of coconut oil in concentrated solutions (10 mL, 20 mL, 30 mL) • Dependent: • Suds produced from shaken soap and water solution (measured in mL) • Constants: • Time coconut oil solution was boiled • Type of coconut oil • Concentration of salt in salt water solution • Boiling times throughout various procedures • Clean tools (beakers, rod, filter papers, cheese cloth, mold) • Amount of water used in sudsing procedure • Control • None used
Variables • Temperature of water during saponification process • Temperature of water during testing process • Consistency of shaking • Purity of coconut oil • Temperature of coconut oil solution • 10 mL of coconut oil did not produce enough soap for sufficient or equal trials
Conclusion • It can be concluded that the soap with the highest concentration of coconut oil produced the most suds. This suggests that the fattier a soap is, the more able it is to dissolve oils and dirt from other solutions. The 30 mL concentration produced the most suds therefore supporting the hypothesis. • The qualitative results also suggest that the more oil in soap, the more easily it dissolves. • To further this experiment, the sodium hydroxide solution could be boiled at different increments and/or the crude soap could be washed more or less times.
Works Cited Addison, Keith. "Glycerine: Journey to Forever." Journey to Forever: Hong Kong to Cape Town Overland - An Adventure in Environment and Development, Join Us on the Internet, All Welcome, Participation, Online Education, School Projects, Free of Charge. Web. 24 Feb. 2011. <http:// journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_glycerin.html>. Bellis, Mary. "The History of Soap and Detergent." Inventors. Web. 24 Feb. 2011. <http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blsoap.htm>. Hallenstine, Anne M. "Soap and Saponification - Chemistry." Chemistry - Periodic Table, Chemistry Projects, and Chemistry Homework Help. 2001. Web. 24 Feb. 2011. <http://chemistry.about.com/library/weekly/blsapon.htm>. "Saponification: Soap Making, Old Fashioned Style." ChemLab. 2009. Web. Nov. 2010. <http://chemlab.truman.edu/CHEM100Labs/SAPONIFICATION.pdf>. "Synthesis of Soap." Chemistry. 2008. Web. 24 Feb. 2011. <http:// www.chem.latech.edu/~deddy/chem122m/L06U00Soap122.htm>. Whyte, David B. "The Chemistry of Clean: Make Your Own Soap to Study Soap Synthesis." Science Fair Project Ideas, Answers, & Tools. 2010. Web. 24 Feb. 2011. <http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas/ Chem_p096.shtml>.
Thank You • Questions?