Cocotrimonium methosulfate is a chemical compound straight chain alkyl mixture, quaternary ammonium compound.

It typically appears as a clear, colourless liquid in its pure form. However, the appearance of the final product can vary greatly depending on the other ingredients used.

The synthesised extraction process takes place in different steps:

• Extraction. The process starts with the extraction of the oil from the coconuts. Typically, extraction is done by squeezing the coconut pulp to release the oil.
• Hydrolysis. Coconut oil is hydrolysed, broken down by chemical reaction with water. This process produces fatty acids and glycerol.
• Neutralisation. Fatty acids are neutralised with an alkali, such as sodium hydroxide, to form soap.
• Quaternisation. The soap is reacted with a quaternary ammonium compound, such as trimethylamine, in a process known as quaternisation. This reaction replaces one of the hydrogen atoms of the ammonium compound with a longer chain molecule derived from coconut oil, forming cocotrimonium methosulphate.
• Sulphation. In the final step, Cocotrimonium Methosulphate is reacted with sulphuric acid to introduce a sulphate group, improving its ability to bind to water and other molecules.

What it is used for and where

Cosmetics

The resulting Cocotrimonium Methosulfate is a cationic surfactant, i.e. it has a positive charge. This allows it to bind to the negatively charged surfaces of hair and skin, providing conditioning and soothing benefits in hair care products. It is also used in some skin care products for its  conditioning properties.

Antistatic agent. Static electricity build-up has a direct influence on products and causes electrostatic adsorption. The antistatic ingredient reduces static build-up and surface resistivity on the surface of the skin and hair.

Hair conditioning agent. A large number of ingredients with specific purposes can co-exist in a hair shampoo: cleansers, conditioners, thickeners, mattifying agents, sequestering agents, fragrances, preservatives, special additives. However, the indispensable ingredients are the cleansers and conditioners as they are necessary and sufficient for hair cleansing and manageability. The others act as commercial and non-essential auxiliaries such as: appearance, fragrance, colouring, etc. Hair conditioning agents have the task of increasing shine, manageability and volume, and reducing static electricity, especially after treatments such as colouring, ironing, waving, drying and brushing. They are, in practice, dispersing agents that may contain cationic surfactants, thickeners, emollients, polymers. The typology of hair conditioners includes: intensive conditioners, instant conditioners, thickening conditioners, drying conditioners.

Trade name: Luviquat Mono LS, Servamine KAC 458