Hydrogenated Castor Oil

About This Product

Hydrogenated castor oil is produced by fully hydrogenating refined castor oil, saturating the double bond in its ricinoleic acid chains while leaving the hydroxyl group at carbon 12 intact. The resulting triglyceride is built mainly from 12-hydroxystearic acid. It carries CAS number 8001-78-3 and the INCI name Hydrogenated Castor Oil, and is commonly known as castor wax. It is supplied as a white to off-white flake, powder or pastille. Hydrogenation transforms a viscous liquid into a hard, brittle wax melting at roughly 85 to 88 degrees Celsius, far above the melting point of most vegetable-derived waxes. The retained hydroxyl groups are the functional feature: they hydrogen-bond with one another and with polar surfaces, so very small additions build structure in a liquid. In practice the wax gels oils and solvents, holds pigments in suspension and stops liquid systems separating on standing. Its largest single use is grease manufacture, where 12-hydroxystearic acid derived from it forms the lithium soap thickener in the majority of the world's automotive and industrial greases. It is also a rheology modifier and anti-settling agent in coatings and inks, a structuring wax in lipsticks and balms, a lubricant and release agent in plastics and rubber processing, and is used in hot-melt and textile finishing systems. Bio Green Oils and Fats supplies hydrogenated castor oil to specification on melting point, hydroxyl value, acid value, iodine value, moisture and particle form.