# Fatty alcohols

Fatty alcohols are C8-C22 alcohols from palm kernel and coconut oil or from ethylene, the oil-loving tail of most shampoo and detergent surfactants.

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fatty_alcohols/

Bio-based chemicals · Oleochemicals · No. 107

- Single chemical
- Feedstock: Crops and biomass
- capacity about 5.1 Mt (2024, derived) rising to 6.2 Mt by 2027; demand about 4-4.5 Mt (indicative, basis: about 80-85% utilisation)
- 4.5 t CO₂e per t
- HS 382370
 Bio-based chemicals · Oleochemicals · Foundation · Matter

The foam in your shampoo likely began as coconut or palm kernel oil, or as ethylene from a cracker.

Chart: Illustration: Fatty alcohols

##### Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

Most fatty alcohol is made by hydrogenating esters of palm kernel and coconut oil; the rest is built up from ethylene by the Ziegler or oxo processes.

##### Three things to know

1. Sasol and Shell, both largely petrochemical, are the two biggest capacity holders at 14% and 11%.
2. About 1.1 Mt of new capacity is due in 2024-2027, including 130 kt at Apical's Dumai plant in Indonesia.
3. Palm-kernel fatty alcohol ranges from about -1.5 to 16.7 t CO2e per tonne, depending on the land behind it.

##### The journey

1. 1 **Lauric oil**Palm kernel or coconut oil, or ethylene
2. 2 **Methyl ester**Oil reacted with methanol, glycerine released
3. 3 **Hydrogenation**Hydrogen at 200-300 bar over copper
4. 4 **Fractionation**Split into C8-C10, C12-C14, C16-C18 cuts
5. 5 **Surfactants**Ethoxylated or sulphated into shampoo and detergent
 Covered in [The chemical industry: what it makes and how it is organisedChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/chem-industry-map/)[From building blocks to plastics, fibres and detergentsChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/building-blocks-to-polymers/)[Soaps, detergents and agrochemicalsChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/soaps-detergents-agrochemicals/)[Biorefineries and platform chemicalsChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/biorefineries-platform-chemicals/)

##### Go deeper pick a tab to open it in full

## Other sections

- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fatty_alcohols/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fatty_alcohols/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fatty_alcohols/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fatty_alcohols/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fatty_alcohols/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fatty_alcohols/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fatty_alcohols/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fatty_alcohols/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fatty_alcohols/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fatty_alcohols/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fatty_alcohols/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/fatty_alcohols/links/index.md)