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Calcium stearate is a chemical compound with the formula C36H70CaO4, which pays an important role in many industrial applications. It is a white waxy powder that is formed through esterification. Here, stearic acid reacts with calcium carbonate. Calcium stearate derives its utility from its unique characteristics such as stability, hydrophobicity, and ability to work as a lubricant. It exists in multiple types, which are explored deeply below.
This compound acts as a thickener, emulsifier, binder, and active ingredient in skin care products such as lotions and creams. Here, it is used to improve texture and stability, enabling proper ingredient integration for effective moisture treatment. Its ability to maintain product integrity makes it key in beauty and skincare formulations.
Industrial-grade calcium stearate is commonly used in polymer manufacturing. It works as a lubricant and release agent. It minimizes friction during processing and prevents products from sticking to molds and machinery. This agent is crucial to ensuring smooth operations in manufacturing plastics, rubbers, and other materials by enhancing flow and reducing heat buildup.
Food-grade calcium stearate is a compound used in food products as an anti-caking agent. It prevents ingredients like powdered milk, flour, and spices from clumping. It ensures even distribution and improved texture. Its use is limited to products that require compliance with food safety regulations. It provides a safe and effective solution to maintaining product quality and longevity.
In the pharmaceutical realm, calcium stearate acts as a lubricant and tablet binder. It facilitates the uniform mixing of active and inactive ingredients and guarantees smooth tablet production by reducing friction in machinery. Its role is crucial to ensuring consistent dosage forms, which are essential to medication efficacy and patient safety.
Calcium stearate has several agricultural applications. It works as a surfactant in pesticide formulations and improves the mixing and spreading of pesticides and herbicides. It reduces surface tension, allowing these chemicals to penetrate plant surfaces more effectively. This enhances pest control and promotes better crop protection.
The calcium stearate price is influenced by several key factors ranging from raw materials to market demand and international conditions. Here is an exploration of the factors.
Stearic acid and calcium carbonate are the primary raw materials used to manufacture calcium stearate. When the prices of these materials go up, the final compound's price also rises. Conversely, a decrease in these material prices leads to a decreased price of calcium stearate, thus making it readily available in the market.
Increased labor costs and energy bills lead to increased prices of calcium stearate. Any increase in manufacturing costs reflects directly on the compound's market price. Pushing the production costs down translates to a reduction in the final price on calcium stearate prices, which can be attributable to improved efficiency and adoption of modern energy-saving machines.
High demand for calcium stearate in industries such as cosmetics, food, and pharmaceuticals lead to high prices. This is particularly true when the supply does not meet the demand in the market. On the other hand, a reduced demand leads to a decrease in its price. A high level of stock and availability in the market leads to low prices because of competition among suppliers.
Transportation costs significantly contribute to the final prices of calcium stearate. Increased fuel prices and shipping costs rise the overall logistics costs, which reflect on the price of the product. Advanced transportation methods that ensure smooth and timely deliveries help minimize these costs and stabilize the prices. When logistics expenses go down, the prices of calcium stearate also go down.
Geopolitical tensions such as conflicts, sanctions, and trade wars are very effective in the prices of calcium stearate. They usually disrupt the supply chain and limit the availability of raw materials. Consequently, this has a ripple effect on the prices in that they increase. Any stabilization of these geopolitical factors contributes to the stabilization of calcium stearate prices by resuming normal trade relations.
If purchased in bulk, here are some tips a buyer should use when selecting high-quality calcium stearate.
Quality of Raw Materials
High-quality stearic acid and calcium carbonate deliver high-quality calcium stearate. Because the compound is created by reacting stearic acid with calcium carbonate, using the highest quality materials will ensure the best quality end product. Buyers will need to know the source of the suppliers' raw materials to ensure they adhere to the highest industry standards.
Purity and Composition
Calcium stearate comes with varying purity levels, generally ranging between 95 and 98% for bulk industrial purposes. For buyers in sensitive industries such as food and pharma, they will look for calcium stearate with the highest purity and minimal harmful substance concentration. They will also ensure the product has the required certifications by reputable organizations to validate it meets quality standards and their businesses comply with regulations.
Manufacturer Reputation
This includes the history and experience of the supplier in the calcium stearate market. As a rule of thumb, long-standing suppliers are more likely to supply quality products because they've built their name around quality. Buyers will ensure they put their trust in what suppliers have been named to boost in quality products.
Testing and Certification
Testing certificates are valuable in selecting high-quality calcium stearate because they show the product has been tested for its chemical make-up and possible contaminants. Buyers will demand these certificates, especially for products entering the agricultural, food, and pharmaceutical industries. They will ensure these products meet quality standards to protect their businesses and consumers' health.
Supplier's Manufacturing Process
Buyers will look for suppliers who use state-of-the-art manufacturing techniques to produce calcium stearate. Buyers will ask the suppliers about the technology used and whether it guarantees consistency and purity in the products. They will prioritize suppliers who use advanced machinery because they are likely to produce high-quality calcium stearate.
Calcium stearate is a versatile chemical that finds a wide range of applications in varying industries. Below are the uses of calcium stearate.
This compound improves texture and acts as an emulsifier and thickening agent in cosmetic products such as lotions and creams. It aids in blending oil and water components, guaranteeing stable emulsions that don't separate. It also enhances product spreadability and reduces greasy feelings, making it integral to formulation in skin care products, makeup, and Felix hair products.
In the plastic industry, calcium stearate acts as a lubricant and stabilizer during production. It reduces friction between plastic materials and machinery, leading to smoother processing and improved product surfaces. It also acts as a mold release agent, preventing plastic items from sticking to molds. Its unique properties are therefore integral to manufacturing high-quality plastic products, which many users consider the highest quality.
It is a primary excipient in tablet production. It acts as a lubricant and anti-adherent agent. It prevents tablets from sticking to machinery during compression and ensures even mixing of active and inactive ingredients. This improves tablet consistency and efficacy. Its role is crucial in drug formulation because it directly affects the quality and reliability of pharmaceutical products.
In agricultural chemical formulations, calcium stearate works as a surfactant and emulsifying agent. It improves the mixing and application of pesticides and herbicides by reducing surface tension. This enables better product coverage on plant surfaces. Better crop protection and improved pest control give calcium stearate a critical role in achieving desired agricultural outcomes.
Calcium stearate's primary role in the rubber industry is as a lubricant and release agent during vulcanization. It prevents rubber products from sticking to molds and processing equipment. It improves product finish and quality. It also acts as a stabilizer, enhancing the properties of calcium-based rubber additives and ensuring smooth processing in the manufacture of tires and industrial rubber goods.
Yes, food-grade calcium stearate is safe for consumption. The FDA approves it and considers it a safe food additive that works as an anti-caking agent. It is commonly used to improve the texture and shelf life of various food products with no reported adverse health effects. They are therefore used in food manufacturing because they are safe and effective in preventing clumping.
Calcium stearate improves tablet production by lacing and preventing active ingredients from sticking together. This ensures smooth processing and better tablets with consistent dosage and reliability. It enhances the drug's bioavailability and efficiency. This makes it a staple for manufacturers aiming to produce high-quality medications for consumer safety. It is also a very manageable item.
Calcium stearate serves as a lubricant and mold release agent by minimizing friction. It enhances processing and prevents finished products from sticking to molds, which improves product quality and surface finish. Its properties ensure smooth processing, which is key to achieving efficiency in this space.
Calcium stearate is commonly used in the rubber and polyurethane industries, where it is used to release tires and other rubber products from molds. It is also valuable in the plastic industry for molds used in injection molding and extrusion processes. They can manufacture quality products in these industries without sticking problems.
