This internship project consists of making hard and soft soap by means of saponification; chemical reaction between an acid and a base to form a salt. Saponification is a process by which triglycerides react with sodium or potassium hydroxide (lye) to produce glycerol and a fatty acid salt, called “soap.” The triglycerides come from animal fats or vegetable oils, depending on how the soap is made. When sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is used, a hard soap is produced, while using potassium hydroxide (KOH; lye) results in a soft soap. Saponification is a process in which a fat molecule is broken down by sodium or potassium hydroxide into four smaller molecules; three of the new molecules are soap and one is glycerol.
When making soap, you mix an oil or fat (Acid) with Sodium Hydroxide or Potassium Hydroxide (whichever is your base) to form soap (Salt). The acids in use are olive oil, coconut oil, Shea Butter, Castor Oil, jojoba oil and avocado oil depending on which type of soap is made, with glycerol additionally added to ensure moisturizing properties. Where oils are used in the soap making process, around 5% of the total glycerin content is a natural by-product of saponification. By mixing oils and lye, a chemical reaction is created that forms vegetable glycerin.
During this internship I will also learn how to make glycerin and lye that goes into the soap making process. I will need to understand the rules of which order different items are added, such as adding lye to a product. The rule is that lye must be added into the water and not the other way around, because adding water to lye can cause the lye to expand out of the vessel. I will be observing the mixing done at different steps in the process of making soaps as well as helping add the products into the 55-gallon drum containers. When working with lye, adequate ventilation would be provided in the lab. Different product combinations of raw material are involved in the manufacturing cleaning products. I will be Tamar’s assistant and will follow her lead. She will help me create new version soap formula for my internship project by using previous recipes. I will also be cleaning and disinfecting the lab room in the beginning and towards end of production, including sterilizing and washing the equipment. The goal of Gleem Industries Inc is to create efficient and sellable products. Gleem Industries were happy to find a chemistry student with lab skills that was versed in safety and lab protocol procedures.
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