Sodium Steaoryl Glutamate is a chemical compound, amino acid, anionic surfactant, which can be obtained from L-glutamic acid and palm acid, animals or other chemical compounds or synthesised by acylation and neutralisation of stearic acid and glutamate. It has good biodegradability.
The name describes the structure of the molecule:
- Sodium. It's an alkali metal that provides the "sodium" component to the compound. It often acts as a pH adjuster or as a stabilizing agent in many formulations.
- Stearoyl. Derived from stearic acid, a saturated fatty acid. This part of the molecule can act as an emulsifier, helping to mix water-based and oil-based ingredients.
- Glutamate. Derived from glutamic acid, an amino acid. In this form, it can act as a surfactant or as a skin conditioning agent.
Raw Materials Used in Production.
- Stearic Acid: a long-chain fatty acid typically derived from animal fats or vegetable oils.
- Monosodium Glutamate: sodium salt of glutamic acid.
Step-by-step Summary of Industrial Production Process.
- Extraction of Stearic Acid. Typically obtained through hydrolysis of animal fats or vegetable oils.
- Esterification Reaction. Stearic acid is reacted with glutamic acid in the presence of an esterification agent to form the stearoyl ester.
- Formation of Salt. The stearoyl ester reacts with a sodium solution to form sodium stearoyl glutamate.
- Purification. The compound is purified through methods like crystallization, filtration, or distillation.
It appears as a white powder.
What it is used for and where
Cosmetics
It is included in oil/water formulations of creams and personal care products as an emulsifying agent, conditioning agent, dispersing agent with the ability to control the crystallisation process. Emulsifiers have the property of directly influencing the stability, sensory properties and surface tension of sunscreens, modulating their filmometric performance.
Usage: 5% - 35%.
Detergents and cleaners
Used in the field of household detergents as a stain remover and emulsifier.
Industrial cleaning
Used in the field of industrial cleaning as a stain remover, rust inhibitor
Typical commercial product characteristics Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
| Appearance | White powder |
| Assay | 93% min |
| pH | 5.0-7.0 |
| Boiling Point | 600.3ºC at 760mmHg |
| Flash Point | 316.8ºC |
| PSA | 112.85000 |
| LogP | 5.06020 |
| Acid (mgKOH/g) | 95-130 |
| Nacl | 3.0% max |
| Loss on drying | 4.0% max |
| Heavy Metal (Pb) | 10ppm max |
| Water | ≤5.0% |
| As | 2ppm max |
| Safety |  |
- Molecular FormulaC23H42NNaO5
- Molecular Weight 435.6
- Exact Mass 434.28800
- CAS 38517-23-6
- UNII 65A9F4P024
- EC Number 253-980-9
- DSSTox Substance ID
- IUPAC sodium;(4S)-5-hydroxy-4-(octadecanoylamino)-5-oxopentanoate
- InChI=1S/C23H43NO5.Na/c1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-21(25)24-20(23(28)29)18-19-22(26)27;/h20H,2-19H2,1H3,(H,24,25)(H,26,27)(H,28,29);/q;+1/p-1/t20-;/m0./s1
- InChl Key QKHBMQWPOUUMQZ-BDQAORGHSA-M
- SMILES CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC(=O)NC(CCC(=O)[O-])C(=O)O.[Na+]
- MDL number
- PubChem Substance ID
Synonyms:
- L-Glutamic acid, N-(1-oxooctadecyl)-, monosodium salt
- sodium hydrogen N-(1-oxooctadecyl)-L-glutamate
- L-Glutamic acid, N-(1-oxooctadecyl)-, sodium salt (1:1)
- sodium;(4S)-5-hydroxy-4-(octadecanoylamino)-5-oxopentanoate
Sodium Steaoryl Glutamate 
