Potassium cocoate

Potassium cocoate (CAS 61789-30-8) is the potassium salt of coconut fatty acids, produced by saponifying coconut oil with potassium hydroxide.

Where is Potassium cocoate used?

• Personal care: primary surfactant and cleansing agent for foam generation and soil removal
• Bar and liquid soap manufacturing: active saponified base for lather structure and skin-feel
• Shampoo and body wash: builds foam volume and suspends oils for rinse-off
• Household and industrial cleaning: grease-cutting performance in hard surface cleaners and dish soaps
• Laundry formulations and textile processing
• Leather operations apply it as a scouring and degreasing agent to remove natural oils and contaminants.
• Shaving creams.
• Surgical scrubs.
• Insecticidal preparations.
• Car wash soap.

Formulation notes

• Used at 5.0 to 40.0% in formulations.
• Should not be combined with cationic ingredients for optimal stability.
• Adding 10-25% coconut oil soap can improve the foaming properties and feel of SLES-based soaps.
• Combined with amphoteric surfactants to mitigate the squeaky clean feel on skin.

Typical specification

• Contains 10% to 12% glycerin.
• Final formulation pH should be 8.0 to 9.0 for clear products.
• Viscosity of 40-70 cps at 25°C.
• Total solids content of 38-41% by weight.
• pH of 10.5 ± 0.5.

Regulatory status

• COSING REF No 79516.
• The Cosmetic Ingredient Review assesses potassium cocoate as safe for use at up to 40% of product components.
• Classified under HS code 3401.20 (soap in other forms).
• INCI name for the potassium salt of fatty acids obtained from natural sources.
• Listed as active on the US EPA TSCA inventory.

Storage, packaging and handling

• Can be stored at room temperature.

Frequently asked questions about Potassium cocoate

What is the relative density and flash point of potassium cocoate?

Potassium cocoate has a relative density of 1.036 to 1.038 g/mL and a flash point of 93.3°C PMCC.

Technical content is compiled and updated by the SoleChem product team from public technical sources; the certificate of analysis (COA) governs product-specific specifications.