stearic acid emulsion is an effective stabilizer, thickener and softener that helps to create a rich lather for shave foams. It also has occlusive properties that help to keep the skin hydrated and prevent moisture loss.

A stearic acid soap is a type of O/W emulsifier containing palmitic and/or stearic acids, optionally incorporated with other oil-soluble components such as waxes, oils or fatty alcohols. The proportions of the oils and fats are designed such that the aqueous phase is dispersed finely in the oil phase, thus forming an O/W emulsion.

The stearic acid soaps used for O/W emulsions can be prepared by the saponification of palmitic and/or stearic acid with one or more saponification bases. These are usually lauric, myristic, stearic and/or heptadecanoic acid.

Technical stearic acids are obained by the saponification of tallow and are generally comprised of 50% to 55% palmitic acid, 40% to 45% stearic acid, and small amounts of other C12-C22 fatty acids such as lauric, myristic, pentadecanoic, heptadecanoic, oleic, linolenic or erucic acid. In order to increase the rheological stability of the O/W emulsifier, these fatty acid soaps may be mixed with other components such as oil-soluble waxes, oils or fatty alcohols.

In the present study, nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) was grafted with lauric acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid and used as a stabilizer to prepare styrene-butyl acrylate emulsion. The emulsions were characterized for their pH, dilution, Ca2+, and centrifugal stability. The mechanism of a modified NCC (MNCC) stabilized emulsion was investigated using transmission electron microscope and zeta potential, which revealed that long-chain fatty acids were well grafted onto NCC by esterification initiated at low temperature.

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