Fatty acids are a type of lipid composed of a long carbon skeleton with a carboxyl group on one end. They are organic acids that have the general formula RCOOH, where R represents a straight chain hydrocarbon. They are produced by the hydrolysis of fats and oils. First investigated over 200 years ago, fatty acids have become useful in producing various materials such as detergents, lubricants, and thickeners.

The chemistry of fatty acids was first studied by the French chemist Michel Eugène Chevreul in 1811. During this time, he performed experiments on a potassium soap produced from pig fat. One of these experiments yielded a crystalline material that had acidic properties. This was the first fatty acid discovered. During the next few years, Chevreul studied other types of soaps and produced numerous other fatty acids. He named these materials and some of these names, like stearic...