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Uses of Cetyl

Cetyl (or cetyl alcohol) is a synthetic fatty alcohol. Its ability to smooth skin and prevent moisture loss makes it highly applicable to the skin care industry as an emulsifier and emollient. According to ChemicalLand21.com, cetyl is also used as an antioxidant in plastics, as a lubricant additive and as a fragrance. Other uses include inks/coatings and water treatment.

  1. Facts

    • According to AbsoluteAstronomy.com, cetyl alcohol is a solid organic compound. Organic compounds are a group of chemical compounds that contain a carbon atom. It is also known as 1-hexadecanol and palmityl alcohol because it is a 16-carbon, saturated higher alcohol.
      According to ChemicalLand21.com, cetyl is a high molecular straight chain primary alcohol, and looks like white fakes. Cetyl's melting point is between 45 and 49 degrees C, and its boiling point is 334 degrees C. Cetyl is insoluble in water, stable under ordinary conditions and not flammable.

    History

    • Cetyl alcohol was discovered by Michel Eugène Chevreul, a French chemist, in 1813. Chevreul discovered a new substance from heating spermaceti (a wax component in the head of a sperm whale) with potassium hydroxide. In 1836, two other scientists (Dumas and Perigot) found out that this substance had alcohol qualities. In 1878, Ludwig discovered that cetyl alcohol is also found in the fat of dermoid cysts.

    Features

    • According to AbsoluteAstronomy.com, cetyl alcohol is no longer produced from whale oil but instead from vegetable oils (coconut and palm) and as an end-product in the petroleum industry. In particular, palmityl alcohol, an alternative to cetyl alcohol, comes from palm oil.

    Uses

    • Cetyl alcohol has many uses and applications. According to AbsoluteAstronomy.com, it is widely used in the cosmetics industry in shampoo as a surfactant (an agent that lowers the inter-facial tension between two liquids). It is also used in skin creams and lotions as an emollient emulsifier (a thickening agent). Other uses include lubrication.

    Function

    • According to ChemicalLand21.com, cetyl and other fatty alcohols are derived from natural fats and oils. These synthetic alcohols are physically and chemically equivalent to natural alcohols. They are used as chemical intermediates in the production of fatty sulfate salts and alcohol ethoxylates. Fatty sulfate salts and ethoxylates are in turn used for cleaning and foaming purposes in detergents. Cetyl alcohol and other fatty alcohols are also used in a variety of solvents and as fillers in the plastic and insulation industry.

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