Saponification Value Calculator
Calculate saponification values for oils and fats to determine soap-making potential and quality
Calculate Saponification Value
Volume of HCl used in blank titration (without sample)
Volume of HCl used in sample titration (with fat/oil)
Concentration of hydrochloric acid solution
Mass of the fat or oil sample being tested
Saponification Value Formula
SV = (Blank - Sample) × Molarity × 56.1 ÷ Weight
Where:
- Blank = Volume of HCl for blank titration
- Sample = Volume of HCl for sample titration
- Molarity = Concentration of HCl solution
- 56.1 = Molecular weight of KOH (g/mol)
- Weight = Mass of fat/oil sample
Example Calculation
Coconut Oil Analysis Example
Sample: 2.5g coconut oil for soap making analysis
Blank titration: 45.2 ml HCl (0.1 M)
Sample titration: 13.1 ml HCl (0.1 M)
Goal: Determine saponification value
Step-by-Step Solution
1. Volume difference = 45.2 - 13.1 = 32.1 ml
2. Apply formula: SV = (32.1 × 0.1 × 56.1) ÷ 2.5
3. Calculate: SV = (180.081) ÷ 2.5
4. Result: SV = 72.03 mg KOH/g
Note: This is low for coconut oil (normal range: 248-265)
Conclusion: Sample may be adulterated or degraded
Common Oils & Fats
Coconut Oil
SV: 248-265 mg/g
Hard soap, high lather
Olive Oil
SV: 184-196 mg/g
Mild, moisturizing soap
Canola Oil
SV: 182-193 mg/g
Conditioning, soft soap
Soybean Oil
SV: 187-195 mg/g
Conditioning, average hardness
Sunflower Oil
SV: 189-195 mg/g
Conditioning, medium hardness
Cocoa Butter
SV: 192-200 mg/g
Hard soap, moisturizing
Shea Butter
SV: 170-190 mg/g
Conditioning, creamy lather
Lard
SV: 192-203 mg/g
Hard soap, stable lather
Beeswax
SV: 60-102 mg/g
Hardening agent, low saponification
Fish Oil
SV: 179-200 mg/g
Conditioning, soft soap
Saponification Guidelines
Higher SV = better soap-making potential
SV > 200: Hard soap bars
SV 150-200: Medium hardness
SV < 150: Soft soap, conditioning
Very low SV may indicate adulteration
Use 5-8% superfat for skin-friendly soap
Understanding Saponification Value
What is Saponification Value?
The saponification value (SV) or saponification number is the amount of potassium hydroxide (KOH) in milligrams needed to completely saponify one gram of fat or oil. It's also known as the Koettstorfer number and is crucial for soap making and fat analysis.
Applications
- •Soap making calculations
- •Fat and oil quality assessment
- •Detecting adulteration in oils
- •Determining unsaponifiable matter
- •Industrial fat processing
Key Formula
SV = (Blank - Sample) × M × 56.1 / W
Interpretation
- High SV (>200): Small molecular weight fatty acids, hard soap
- Medium SV (150-200): Mixed fatty acids, balanced properties
- Low SV (<150): Large molecular weight, soft/conditioning
- Very low SV: May indicate high unsaponifiable content
Note: For soap making, use 5-8% superfat (reduce NaOH by 5-8%) for skin-friendly bars.