Sodium stearate is a salt and is used

Sodium stearate is the sodium salt of stearic acid, a saturated fatty acid derived from plant and animal lipids [1]. It is primarily recognized as the main ingredient in many soaps. The process of creating soap, known as saponification, involves treating esters (fats) with an alkali like sodium hydroxide to produce alcohol and the sodium salt of a long-chain carboxylic acid [1]. Sodium stearate acts as a surfactant and emulsifier, which helps stabilize soap mixtures and allows them to bind with oils for effective cleaning. While it has secondary applications as a gelling agent in specific paints and as a food stabilizer [1], its most fundamental and widespread historical use is in the production of soap [1]. It is not used in gunpowder or as a fertilizer.

Sources

1. [1] Science , class X (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: Carbon and its Compounds > CH COOH CH CH OH CH C C CH CH H O 3 3 2 3 2 3 2 Acid O (E - + - - - - - + thanoic acid) (Ethanol) (Ester) O > p. 73