Saponifikáció

Saponifikáció is the chemical process by which fats or oils react with a base to form soap and glycerol. This reaction is a type of hydrolysis, specifically alkaline hydrolysis. Fats and oils are triglycerides, meaning they are esters formed from glycerol and three fatty acids. In saponification, the strong base, typically sodium hydroxide (NaOH) for hard soaps or potassium hydroxide (KOH) for soft soaps, attacks the ester bonds in the triglyceride. The base cleaves the fatty acids from the glycerol backbone. The resulting products are the alkali metal salts of the fatty acids, which are what we commonly refer to as soap, and glycerol, also known as glycerin. The reaction requires heat and is often carried out in an aqueous solution. The quality and type of soap produced depend on the specific fat or oil used and the base employed. For instance, animal fats like tallow yield harder soaps, while vegetable oils such as olive oil produce softer, milder soaps. This fundamental reaction is the basis of all traditional soap-making.