Fatty Alcohols

Fatty alcohols are produced by the hydrolysis of the ester linkages in a fat or biological oil (both of which are triglycerides) with the removal of glycerol. The oil/fat can either be of animal origin (tallow) or vegetable origin (palm oil). The by-product is glycerine. Fatty alcohols are used in almost all sectors of industry, with the tallow form having a diverse range of uses in candles, crayons, soap, detergents and chemicals.