Difference between revisions of "Sperm oil"

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== Description ==
 
== Description ==
  
A thick, yellow oil obtained, along with [http://cameo.mfa.org/materials/fullrecord.asp?name=spermaceti spermaceti], from the head of the sperm whale, ''Physeter macrocephalus'' or ''Physeter catadon''. Sperm oil is composed of long chain fatty alcohol esters with very little fat.  It was used at one time as a lamp oil and was later saponified to make soaps and cosmetics as well as to size textiles.  Sperm oil is still used for lubrication and dressing leather. The expensive sperm oil was superior in quality to common [http://cameo.mfa.org/materials/fullrecord.asp?name=whale oil whale oil] obtained from the blubber.
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A thick, yellow oil obtained, along with [http://cameo.mfa.org/materials/fullrecord.asp?name=spermaceti spermaceti], from the head of the sperm whale, ''Physeter macrocephalus'' or ''Physeter catadon''. Sperm oil is composed of long chain fatty alcohol esters with very little fat.  It was used at one time as a lamp oil and was later saponified to make soaps and cosmetics as well as to size textiles.  Sperm oil is still used for lubrication and dressing leather. The expensive sperm oil was superior in quality to common [http://cameo.mfa.org/materials/fullrecord.asp?name=whale%20oil whale oil] obtained from the blubber.
  
 
== Synonyms and Related Terms ==
 
== Synonyms and Related Terms ==
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== Authority ==
 
== Authority ==
  
* G.S.Brady, G.S.Brady, ''Materials Handbook'', McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971  Comment: p. 748
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* G.S.Brady, ''Materials Handbook'', McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971  Comment: p. 748
  
* Matt Roberts, Don Etherington, Matt Roberts, Don Etherington, ''Bookbinding and the Conservation of Books: a Dictionary of Descriptive Terminology'', U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington DC, 1982
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* Matt Roberts, Don Etherington, ''Bookbinding and the Conservation of Books: a Dictionary of Descriptive Terminology'', U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington DC, 1982
  
 
* ''The Merck Index'', Martha Windholz (ed.), Merck Research Labs, Rahway NJ, 10th edition, 1983  Comment: entry 8895; source for values on description page
 
* ''The Merck Index'', Martha Windholz (ed.), Merck Research Labs, Rahway NJ, 10th edition, 1983  Comment: entry 8895; source for values on description page
  
* ''Encyclopedia Britannica'', http://www.britannica.com  Comment: "sperm oil." Encyclopdia Britannica. 2005.  Encyclopdia Britannica Premium Service.  3 Jan. 2005 .
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* ''Encyclopedia Britannica'', http://www.britannica.com  Comment: "sperm oil." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2005.  Encyclopædia Britannica Premium Service.  3 Jan. 2005 .
  
 
* ''CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics'', Robert Weast (ed.), CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, v. 61, 1980  Comment: iodine value=70; saponification value=140-144; lauric acid=16%, myristic acid=14%, palmitic acid=8%, stearic acid=2%, palmitoleic acid=15%, oleic acid=17%, linoleic acid=6.5%
 
* ''CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics'', Robert Weast (ed.), CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, v. 61, 1980  Comment: iodine value=70; saponification value=140-144; lauric acid=16%, myristic acid=14%, palmitic acid=8%, stearic acid=2%, palmitoleic acid=15%, oleic acid=17%, linoleic acid=6.5%

Revision as of 07:48, 24 July 2013

Sperm whale

Description

A thick, yellow oil obtained, along with spermaceti, from the head of the sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus or Physeter catadon. Sperm oil is composed of long chain fatty alcohol esters with very little fat. It was used at one time as a lamp oil and was later saponified to make soaps and cosmetics as well as to size textiles. Sperm oil is still used for lubrication and dressing leather. The expensive sperm oil was superior in quality to common whale oil obtained from the blubber.

Synonyms and Related Terms

Physeter macrocephalus; Physeter catadon; cachalot oil; aceite de esperma de ballena (Esp.); sperm whale oil

Other Properties

Soluble in chloroform, ether. Insoluble in water, cold ethanol.

Saponification no. = 123-147; Iodine no. = 80-84

Density 0.875-0.885

Authority

  • G.S.Brady, Materials Handbook, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971 Comment: p. 748
  • Matt Roberts, Don Etherington, Bookbinding and the Conservation of Books: a Dictionary of Descriptive Terminology, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington DC, 1982
  • The Merck Index, Martha Windholz (ed.), Merck Research Labs, Rahway NJ, 10th edition, 1983 Comment: entry 8895; source for values on description page
  • Encyclopedia Britannica, http://www.britannica.com Comment: "sperm oil." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2005. Encyclopædia Britannica Premium Service. 3 Jan. 2005 .
  • CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, Robert Weast (ed.), CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, v. 61, 1980 Comment: iodine value=70; saponification value=140-144; lauric acid=16%, myristic acid=14%, palmitic acid=8%, stearic acid=2%, palmitoleic acid=15%, oleic acid=17%, linoleic acid=6.5%

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