Magnesium stearate

Magnesium stearate is the magnesium salt of stearic acid with the formula Mg (CH3 (CH2) 16COO) 2.

At room temperature it appears as a white solid, odorless, light and greasy to the touch. It is insoluble in water, alcohol and ether.

In the paint industry, it is used as a drying agent, while in the textile industry, it is used as an additive for finishing oils. In the cosmetic industry it is added to powder products such as face powder or talc to improve adhesion to the skin and in the pharmaceutical industry as a lubricant in the preparation of tablets to disintegrate between the powder or granulate and the metal walls of the equipment. in this case, the product must not contain heavy metals in a concentration higher than 20 ppm. It can be used as an anti-caking agent in the food and pharmaceutical industries.