Tallow or Veg, Kosher, USP, Wettable, Granular, Flakes, Powder
Zinc Stearate
- Inci Name:
- Zinc Stearate
- Chemical Name:
- Zinc Salt of Stearic Acid or Zinc Distearate
- CAS#:
- 557-05-1
Zinc Stearate is an oleochemical substance featuring a white, powdery appearance. Also known as zinc soap, Zinc Stearate has the ability to repel water and is insoluble in certain types of polar solvents. Zinc Stearate is formed by combining stearic acid with zinc oxide, the latter of which is an organic white-powder compound that is insoluble in water. While it does not produce a strong odor, Zinc Stearate powder does have a slight fatty acid scent.
There are a number of methods employed to manufacture Zinc Stearate. In addition to the direct method of combining stearic acid with zinc oxide, there is also an indirect method known as precipitation, which entails the formation of a solid from a liquid solution. The fusion method involves a high-shear process using tightly controlled pressure and temperature conditions.
Zinc Stearate offers a number of chemical properties that are invaluable from a manufacturing perspective. These include lubricity, compatibility and hydrophobicity (not attracted to water). It also features a “sharp” melting point, meaning it liquefies upon melting. The latter characteristic differentiates Zinc Stearate from other metallic stearate materials.
Zinc Stearate can be either veg or tallow-based — veg-based materials come from vegetable sources, while tallow-based materials are extracted from animal sources. Like all Metallic Stearates, Zinc Stearate has many industrial applications. The USP grade can be used in pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and cosmetic applications when used according to CFR 21 and FDA guidelines.
Acme-Hardesty offers Zinc Stearate in various grades and forms for a wide range of industrial applications. As one of the leading distributors of oleochemicals in the U.S. with more than 70 years of experience, you can count on us for superior Zinc Stearate products at competitive prices. Read below for more information on Zinc Stearate and its uses, or give us a call today!
Zinc Stearate
Uses & Applications
Some of the industrial uses for Zinc Stearate include:
- Cosmetics: Zinc Stearate acts as an anti-caking agent in powdered cosmetics. Other uses of Zinc Stearate in cosmetics include as a lubricant, as well as a thickening agent for enhancing texture.
- CASE: In CASE applications, Zinc Stearate serves as a lubricant aid in sanding sealers and as a flatting agent in paints and coatings.
- Metalworking Fluids: Manufacturers of various types of metalworking fluid manufacturers make use of Zinc Stearate as an effective mold release lubricant. This is particularly beneficial in the manufacture of powdered metals where it has minimal impact on sintering, which is the process of causing a powdered substance to coalesce into a solid or porous material via heating, but without liquefaction.
- Pharmaceuticals and Nutraceuticals: Zinc Stearate facilitates mold release for tableting when used according to CFR 21 and FDA guidelines.
- Plastics: Zinc Stearate is a highly effective pigment dispersion aid and lubricant in PVC, polyethylene and ABS production. In SMC (sheet molding compound) applications, it is used as a viscosity modifier and improves the surface of the finished good. Zinc Stearate also acts as a scavenger for acidic residues in polyolefin manufacture and is used as a mold release agent and process lubricant in the production of polystyrene.
- Rubber: Zinc Stearate serves as an internal lubricant in molded rubber production and as an external lubricant or dusting agent with excellent anti-block properties. One of the most common Zinc Stearate uses in rubber manufacturing is as a release agent, as well as an activator for rubber vulcanization.
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