What did Saponification / Soap Making look like?

Translucent or opaque solid/semi-solid blocks that produce foam when wet and have cleansing and degreasing ability.

How did Saponification / Soap Making work?

Plant ash soaked in water to extract alkaline liquor (K₂CO₃ solution) → fat/oil added and boiled → triglycerides + KOH (from K₂CO₃ hydrolysis) → glycerol + potassium fatty acid salts (soap) → salt added to precipitate → shaped.

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油脂皂化

Saponification / Soap Making

Plant ash (containing K₂CO₃) or lime (CaO) alkaline solution reacted with animal/vegetable fats and oils to produce soap — an early utilization of the saponification reaction.

油脂皂化

Scientific Principle

Saponification reaction: RCOOR' (fat/oil) + NaOH/KOH → RCOONa/RCOOK (soap) + R'OH (glycerol). Fatty acid salts have one hydrophilic end and one lipophilic end → emulsification and cleansing.

油脂皂化

Saponification / Soap Making

Scientific Principle

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