Glycerine
(glycerin, glycerol, or 1,2,3-propanetriol) is the simplest trihedric alcohol.
Pure glycerine, with a specific gravity of 1.26, is a colorless, odorless,
sweet, viscous liquid melting at 17.8 C boiling at 290 C. It decomposes at
boiling point and produce corrosive fumes of acrolein. It is miscible in water
and forms a solution in any proportion. It is also soluble alcohol but only
partially soluble in common organic solvents such as ether and ethyl acetate. It
resists freezing. It is hygroscopic, which favors as a humectant to retain
moisture in cosmetics. It reacts violently with acetic anhydrides in the
presence of a catalyst. It is obtained as a byproduct when fats and oils are
hydrolyzed to yield fatty acids or soaps. Glycerol is also commercially
synthesized from propylene (Dow Chemical). Glycerol can also be obtained based
on a proprietary fermentation processing. Glycerol is widely used; as a solvent,
food additive, sweetening agent and emollient and emulcent with magnesium
sulphate used in the treatment of septic wounds and boils; in the manufacture of
alkyd resin, cellophane, ester gums, plasticizer, dynamite, nitroglycerine,
cosmetics, liquid soap, perfume and toothpaste (good solubility and taste give
glycerine an edge on sorbitol in toothpastes, which are estimated to make up
almost one-third of glycerine's market in personal care products); as a
component of antifreeze mixtures; to keep fabrics pliable, to preserve printing
on cotton, to keep frost from windshields; as a source of nutrients for
fermentation cultures in the production of antibiotics; as a preservative in
some pharmaceutical and biological preparations and in non-alcoholic extracts
and tinctures. It has many other applications.
|