Palmitic Acid (C16, Hexadecanoic Acid) Supplier in Malaysia
- Also known as
- Hexadecanoic Acid
- C16 Fatty Acid
- Cetylic Acid
- C16H32O2
Palmitic acid supplier for soap, candle, rubber, plastics and cosmetic manufacturers in Malaysia. Also called hexadecanoic acid, C16 fatty acid or cetylic acid (CAS 57-10-3, C16H32O2), it is a white waxy saturated fatty acid traded as flakes, beads, milled powder or molten liquid.
Ordering starts with C16 content rather than with the product name, since commercial material runs from technical cuts up to distilled grades at 95 and 98 per cent nominal. Form carries almost as much weight as purity, because flakes suit bagged charging, beads feed automated dosing, powder disperses in dry compounding and molten supply saves a remelt.
Palmitic acid is the C16 acid, not myristic acid at C14, stearic acid at C18 or lauric acid at C12, and not palm stearin, which is a fractionated oil rather than a distilled fatty acid. Soap and candle makers use it for firmness and structure, rubber and plastics processors as a lubricant and release aid, and personal-care formulators as an emollient and opacifier.
An enquiry should carry the C16 content, the physical form, what it feeds, the specification to be met, the tonnage and the destination. Packing, documentation, availability and timing follow in the quotation.
- CAS number
- 57-10-3
- Formula
- C16H32O2
- HS code
- 2915.70
- Grade
- technical, distilled, food, cosmetic
- Appearance
- white to off-white waxy solid
Palmitic Acid grades and forms
We supply several forms to suit different formulating and dosing setups. If you need a size that is not listed, ask us.
| Grade | Form | Assay | Typical use | Packing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technical grade palmitic acid flakes | white to off-white flakes | technical C16 cut, read against the grade quoted rather than the name | Hand or bag charging into soap kettles, candle and wax blends and general process formulations that need a solid C16 acid without a tight purity window. | Bag packing is the usual trade format for flake material, and the exact pack is confirmed with the quotation. |
| Palmitic acid beads or prills | white free-flowing beads or prills | — | Automated weighing, screw feeding and closed dosing lines, where flow behaviour and dust generation differ from flake material. | Bead material moves in bag packing; state the preferred bag size with the enquiry. |
| Milled palmitic acid powder | white milled powder | — | Dry blending and rubber or plastics compounding, where a fine particle disperses without a separate melting step and shortens mixing time. | Powder travels in bag packing, with the format settled at quotation stage. |
| Distilled palmitic acid, 95 and 98 per cent nominal C16 | white flakes, beads or powder | 95 or 98 per cent nominal C16 content, with higher cuts also traded | Cosmetic emollients, palmitate ester and metallic soap manufacture, and any formulation specified on C16 content rather than on a generic fatty acid. | Solid cuts ship in bag packing; confirm the format and any liner requirement with the quotation. |
| Food or cosmetic grade palmitic acid | white flakes or beads | — | Food processing aids, emulsifier feedstock and personal-care bases, bought against a written standard that the buyer states with the enquiry. Supply is subject to applicable requirements. | Bag packing for flake and bead material, with the exact format confirmed with the quotation. |
| Molten palmitic acid | hot molten liquid | — | Continuous plants that meter the acid straight into a reactor or blend vessel and would otherwise pay to remelt solid material. | Molten handling requirements should be stated with the enquiry and are confirmed with the quotation. |
How to buy palmitic acid from ChemTrade
Request a quote for palmitic acid
Use the form below to request a quotation. You can also email sales@chemtrademalaysia.com or send us a message on WhatsApp.
Specifications
| Parameter | Value | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | white to off-white waxy solid | — |
| Common physical forms | flakes, beads or prills, milled powder, or molten liquid | — |
| CAS number | 57-10-3 | — |
| Molecular formula | C16H32O2 | — |
| Molecular weight | approximately 256 g/mol | — |
| Carbon chain | C16 saturated fatty acid, lipid shorthand 16:0 | — |
| Melting point | approximately 62 to 64 °C | — |
| Solubility | insoluble in water, soluble in ethanol and warm organic solvents | — |
| Trade parameters | C16 content, acid value, iodine value, titre and colour, all typical or grade dependent and read from the specification of the grade quoted | — |
Palmitic Acid applications
Safety and handling
Solid material keeps well sealed, cool and dry, clear of ignition sources and anything it should not contact. Molten storage means the acid is held hot throughout, so set handling controls from the safety information issued for the grade quoted.
Common questions about palmitic acid
Is palmitic acid the same as hexadecanoic acid?
Yes, one material under two names, hexadecanoic acid being the systematic form. Cetylic acid and C16 fatty acid appear on older or shorthand paperwork for it as well. None of those names settles the grade, which is what the enquiry has to carry.
What is the difference between palmitic acid and stearic acid?
Chain length. Palmitic acid is the C16 saturated acid and stearic acid is the C18, which is why they melt and behave differently in soap, candle and rubber work. Commercial stearic acid is frequently a C16 and C18 blended cut, so say whether you need high-C16 material or a blend, and order the C18 product by name if that is what the formulation calls for.
Is palmitic acid the same as palm stearin?
No, and the difference is not one of purity. Palm stearin remains a glyceride oil, separated as the harder fraction during fractionation, while this product is a free fatty acid released by splitting and then distilled. A process built around the fraction should order it by name instead.
Which C16 purity should I request?
Technical cuts cover soap, candle and general industrial duty. Distilled grades at 95 or 98 per cent nominal C16, and higher, are chosen for cosmetic emollients, palmitate esters and metallic soaps where chain distribution changes the result. Where the material has to drop into a qualified formulation, attach the specification it must equal.
Should I order flakes, beads, powder or molten material?
Flakes are the common bagged form, beads and prills feed better through automated dosing, and milled powder disperses in dry compounding without a melting step. Molten supply suits continuous plants that would otherwise remelt solids. Describe the dosing equipment and the enquiry can be matched to it.
Does it matter whether the material is palm based or tallow based?
It can matter for formulation approvals, downstream claims and customer audits, and both feedstocks exist in the market. State whether the source is restricted for your application so the point is addressed in the quotation rather than after delivery.
What does a food or personal-care buyer need to state?
The specific standard the material is being bought against, written out, plus the product it goes into. A grade description on its own does not establish that a technical cut satisfies a graded requirement. Supply is subject to applicable requirements.
How is palmitic acid priced?
On enquiry, against a validity period set out in the offer, because the C16 cut moves with the oleochemical market. Purity, form, analytical requirements, tonnage and destination each shift the number, so include them if you want a figure you can compare.