All analytical solutions were prepared and measurements made using sunthetic methods with an analytic balance of capacity 200g and readability 0.01g (Acculab V-200 and JSCALE JS-XV Manual). All soaps were prepared using the semi-boiled process and the GE-168962 18-quart roaster oven. All vegatable oils used were grocery store name brand oils: Columbus Palm oil. Lye was purchased from Bayer Corporation. All other chemicals and solvents were purchased from Aldrich. Structural determination and analysis of oils was performed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (H-NMR and 13C-NMR) analysis using the Peabody, MA JOEL Eclipse plus 400 MHz NMR spectrometer. IR spectroscopy was performed using the Excalibur HE Series FTS 3100 IR Spectrometer. GC/MS analysis was performed using the Varian CP-3800 Gas Chromatography with the Saturn 2200 GC/MS instrument. Data analysis and any subsequent calculations or graphing were performed using Microsoft Excel. In order to investigate the effects of superfatting/discounting on the composition of handcrafted soap, it was first necessary to master the soap making process. One-hundred gram (100g) samples of Palm oil soap were prepared using the appropriate saponification amount of standardized 333.3ppt NaOH lye solution: the soaps were made in accordance with the methods laid out in Scientific Soapmaking.1 Individual procedures were observed by other lab partners and compared to further improve and perfect individual methods. The properties of the subsequent soaps were then compared.
Preparation of Experimental Palm/Grapeseed oil Soaps:Two soaps were prepared using standard soap making procedure drawn from Scientific Soapmaking.1 Two mason jars were charged with 90g Palm oil. To one of these jars was added 10g grapeseed oil, and the jar labelled 10% lye discount added before trace. To this jar was added 38.10g(quantity calculated for 10% disount) lye solution. The jar was shaken, mixture brought to trace, tranferred to rubber mold and baked at 140-170 degrees F for 4 hours. The other jar was charged with 90g Palm oil, and labelled 10% lye discount added at trace. 38.10g lye was added to this jar, and mixture brought to trace at which point 10g grapeseed oil was added. The soap was transferred to rubber mold and baked at 140-170 degrees F for 4 hours. Both soaps were allowed to cool before experimentation was continued. The same procedure was used for a Palm Oil/Castor Oil soap with a 10% discount and also a Coconut oil/Olive oil soap with a 10% discount.
Extraction of Excess Oils from Experimental Soaps: 20g of each Coconut/olive oil soap was shaved off and placed in separate 250ml round-bottomed flasks. Each sample was charged with 250ml ethyl ether (Aldrich), fitted with a column condensor, and refluxed for two hours in a hot water bath at 70 degrees C. The ether was then extracted from the solid residue through vacuum filtration. The ether was then washed with 250ml brine solution in a separatory funnel, and then evaporated using Rotovap. The residue was dried using a vacuum pump, weighed and characterized using 13C-NMR Spectroscopy. Palm/castor oil and palm/grapeseed oil soap samples were prepared with 40g of each soap in order to get more extracted oil for characterization purposes.