Oleic Acid OA 9-Octadecenoic Acid CAS 112-80-1

Tree Chem Oleic Acid CAS 112-80-1 is a light yellow to pale liquid fatty acid mainly composed of C18:1 unsaturated chains. With stable iodine and acid values, it offers outstanding chemical reactivity and emulsification performance. Tree Chem manufactures high-quality oleic acid in multiple grades to meet diverse market requirements including lubricants, textile softeners, surfactants, cosmetics, and food processing. For quotations or additional product information, please contact summer@cntreechem.com.

Specification

Basic Information

Technical Specification

Applications

Food Industry

• Emulsifier, lubricant, and defoaming agent: In the food industry, oleic acid is mainly used as an emulsifier, lubricant, and defoaming agent. It has excellent emulsifying properties and can blend water and oil—two immiscible liquids—into a stable emulsion. In food processing, oleic acid is primarily used in the production of margarine, shortening, and ice cream. With an HLB (hydrophilic-lipophilic balance) value of about 1.5, oleic acid is lipophilic and suitable for preparing water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions.
• As a lubricant, oleic acid reduces friction between food and equipment, improving processing efficiency. In baked goods, it enhances dough workability, making the products softer and fluffier. In chocolate production, it reduces viscosity and improves flow and gloss.
• As a defoaming agent, oleic acid suppresses foaming during food processing. It is used in the production of beverages such as beer and juice to improve production efficiency and product quality.
• Additionally, oleic acid is an essential nutrient for humans—it helps lower cholesterol and prevent cardiovascular diseases. Adding an appropriate amount of oleic acid to food can enhance nutritional value and meet consumers’ demand for healthier products.
• Functional and nutritional foods: Oleic acid plays an important role in functional and fortified foods. In heart-health formulations, it helps regulate blood lipids and lower cholesterol. It is also an excellent energy source, providing 2.25 times more energy than carbohydrates. In sports nutrition products, oleic acid supplies long-lasting energy, reduces muscle fatigue, and enhances athletic performance.
• In infant formula, oleic acid is an essential component of breast milk fat and supports growth and development. Adding oleic acid helps simulate the fatty acid composition of human milk, promoting brain development and visual function.
• In medical nutrition foods, oleic acid also has significant applications: for diabetic patients, it improves insulin sensitivity and helps regulate blood glucose; for obesity management, it increases satiety and reduces energy intake.
• Baked products: Oleic acid serves multiple functions in bakery applications. As a dough improver, it enhances the rheological properties of dough, increasing extensibility and elasticity. As an anti-staling agent, oleic acid delays starch retrogradation, extending shelf life. Studies show that adding 0.5–1% oleic acid to bread can extend shelf life by 2–3 days at room temperature while maintaining softness and flavor.
• lubricant: As a lubricant, it acts as a release agent during baking, preventing dough from sticking to molds and improving product shape. Oleic acid also enhances surface gloss and product appearance. In addition, adding oleic acid improves nutritional value—particularly in whole-grain and multigrain breads—by enhancing texture and providing added health benefits.

Cosmetics Manufacturing

• In skincare products, oleic acid functions through its unique molecular structure and physicochemical properties, providing moisturizing, emollient, penetration-enhancing, and antioxidant effects.
• In color cosmetics, oleic acid serves multiple roles as a dispersant, binder, emollient, and gloss agent, improving texture, pigment dispersion, and skin feel.
• In personal care and cleansing products, oleic acid functions as a conditioning agent and surfactant. In haircare, it reduces static, improves combability, and enhances shine. In body wash formulations, it acts as a skin conditioner, preventing dryness and tightness.
• The sodium salt of oleic acid (sodium oleate) is an anionic surfactant with excellent detergency and foaming ability, widely used in shampoos and body washes to effectively remove dirt and oil. Oleic acid can also act as a thickener, adjusting product viscosity. By forming micellar structures with other surfactants, it increases viscosity and stability, preventing product separation or sedimentation.

Industrial Applications

• Metalworking fluids: Oleic acid is a key component in metalworking fluids, offering excellent lubricating and cooling properties. In cutting fluids, grinding fluids, and stamping oils, it forms a lubricating film on metal surfaces, reducing friction and wear between the metal and the tool.
• Rust prevention: Oleic acid has good anti-rust performance. It forms a protective film on metal surfaces, preventing oxidation and corrosion. Through chemical reaction with the metal, it produces a metal soap film with strong adhesion and water resistance, effectively inhibiting rust formation.
• Release agent: Oleic acid acts as a release agent in metal forming, preventing adhesion between the product and the mold. The lubricating layer formed on the mold surface allows easy demolding, improving efficiency and product quality.
• Rolling oil component: Oleic acid is an essential ingredient in rolling oils, providing lubrication and heat dissipation during metal rolling. The lubricating film formed between the rolls and the metal reduces friction and carries away heat, thereby improving rolling efficiency and product surface quality.
• Anionic surfactants: Oleic acid can be saponified to produce sodium oleate and potassium oleate, both important anionic surfactants with excellent cleaning and foaming performance. With an HLB value of about 18, sodium oleate is hydrophilic and suitable for oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions.
• Nonionic surfactants: Reacting oleic acid with ethylene oxide produces oleic acid polyoxyethylene ether, a key nonionic surfactant used in detergents, cosmetics, and emulsifiers.
• Amphoteric surfactants: Oleic acid can also react with amino acids or betaine compounds to produce amphoteric surfactants, which are mild, biodegradable, and ideal for baby care and sensitive-skin products.
• Green chemical raw material: As a natural, renewable resource, oleic acid serves as a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based materials in producing various green chemicals.

In addition to these applications, oleic acid is also used in the plastics industry as a plasticizer, lubricant, antistatic agent, and stabilizer; in the textile industry as a spinning oil, softener, antistatic, and waterproofing agent; and in coatings and inks as a drier, resin modifier, dispersant, and plasticizer.Moreover, oleic acid is also utilized in pharmaceuticals, animal feed, and nutritional supplements, further expanding its value across multiple industries.

Storage & Handling

• Store in tightly closed containers, away from heat or direct sunlight.
• Keep in cool, dry, and well-ventilated areas.
• Avoid contact with strong oxidizing or reducing agents.

Usage Notice

• Food Additives: In margarine production, adding 2%–5% oleic acid can improve emulsion stability, prevent oil phase separation, and extend shelf life. Oleic acid also enhances the texture and flavor of margarine, making it closer to natural butter. In ice cream production, adding 0.5%–1% oleic acid improves overrun, texture, and mouthfeel. It also lowers the freezing point, enhances melting resistance, and prolongs shelf life. In baked goods, adding 1%–2% oleic acid enhances dough rheology, improves extensibility and elasticity, resulting in softer and fluffier products. Additionally, oleic acid delays starch retrogradation, extending product freshness and shelf life.
• Functional Foods: A nutrition supplement brand developed soft capsules containing 500 mg of high-purity oleic acid (≥99%) per capsule, combined with vitamin E and other antioxidants. Clinical studies show that taking two capsules daily for three months can reduce LDL-C levels by 8%–12% and increase HDL-C levels by 5%–8%.
• Infant Formula: A well-known infant formula brand incorporates structured lipid OPO containing over 40% oleic acid in its formulation. Clinical studies indicate that infants consuming this formula had 15%–20% higher fat absorption and 10%–15% higher calcium absorption, while the incidence of constipation decreased by 30%.
• Non-Dairy Creamer Formulations: One manufacturer blends oleic acid and palm oil in a 1:3 ratio, combined with sodium caseinate and maltodextrin to produce high-quality non-dairy creamer. The product exhibits excellent emulsifying and stabilizing properties; when added to coffee, it creates a rich foam and improves flavor and color.
• Common Cream Formulation: In face creams, oleic acid is typically added at 5%–15% as a primary emollient and moisturizer. Creams containing oleic acid have excellent spreadability and absorption, providing long-lasting hydration. For dry skin, such formulations significantly relieve dryness and restore smoothness.
• Common Lotion Formulation: In lotions, oleic acid is used at 3%–8% as an emulsifier and emollient. It stabilizes emulsion structure, prevents oil-water separation, and provides moisturizing and softening effects. Lotions containing oleic acid are lightweight, easy to apply, and particularly suitable for oily or combination skin.
• Common Serum Formulation: In serums, oleic acid is typically added at 2%–5% as a carrier and penetration enhancer for active ingredients. It increases solubility and stability of actives while promoting their absorption into deeper skin layers, thereby enhancing skincare efficacy.
• Alkyd Resin Coatings: In alkyd resin coatings, oleic acid is used as a primary fatty acid raw material, accounting for 20%–30% of total resin content. Oleic acid adjusts resin drying rate and hardness, giving coatings excellent film-forming and weather resistance properties. Alkyd coatings containing oleic acid exhibit high gloss and color retention, widely used in architectural and industrial coatings.
• Printing Inks: In inks such as offset and gravure inks, oleic acid acts as a drier and dispersant. Adding 0.5%–2% metallic oleate significantly increases drying speed while improving ink flow and transfer properties. It also enhances gloss and abrasion resistance.
• Anticorrosive Coatings: Oleic acid serves as a dispersant and carrier for anti-rust pigments. It enables even dispersion of pigments such as red lead and zinc chromate, improving the corrosion resistance of the coating. Moreover, oleic acid forms a protective film on metal surfaces, enhancing the coating’s protective performance.

Packaging

• 25 kg plastic drum / 180 kg iron drum / 900 kg IBC tank
• Bulk delivery available upon request