Cetyl Alcohol - Indonesia

Brief Overview
Cetyl alcohol or known as 1-hexadecanol or n-hexadecyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol that can be derived from coconut oil and palm oil. It is a synthetic, solid, fatty alcohol, and nonionic surfactant that has 16 carbon atoms and a very hydrophobic molecule. Cetyl alcohol, though is not soluble in water, it is soluble in alcohol and oils. It is made by the chemical reduction of palmitic acid.
Manufacturing Process
Cetyl alcohol is produced by reducing ethyl palmitate, the waxy ester of palmitic acid, with alcohol and sodium metal under low pH. Cetyl alcohol can also be produced under acidic conditions with lithium aluminum hydride as a catalyst or by the hydrogenation and esterification of fatty acid, next the resulting product then being purified by using the method of crystallization and distillation.