Patent 7456306 was granted and assigned to Mallinckrodt (company) on November, 2008 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
An improved alkali earth metal stearate composition is disclosed and is prepared by reacting a fatty acid component including at least about 80% by weight stearic acid and at least about 5% by weight palmitic acid with an alkali hydroxide to form an alkali soap. An aqueous metal salt solution is then added to the soap to form the improved alkali earth metal stearate. The improved alkali earth metal stearate includes a significant amount of the dihydrate form of the stearate.