Description

Oleochemicals are the basic raw material for soaps and detergents. They are also used as stabilizers and plasticizers in the plastics industry. Oleochemicals are principally used as derivatives, like surfactants, fatty acid metal salts, and fatty acid esters in end-user applications. Soaps and detergents hold the highest market share in terms of end-user application of oleochemicals. Population growth, in turn, leads to increased use of soaps and detergents. Fatty acids are used in the synthesis of chemical intermediates such as green surfactants, amides, amines, and esters. The most important market for fatty alcohols is the detergent market. Refined glycerin is widely used in the production of glycerol esters.