CNSL is the dark, viscous phenolic liquid held in the cashew nut shell, and it is one of the few genuinely large-volume natural sources of long-chain phenols: anacardic acid, cardanol and cardol. That chemistry is why it is bought by resin, coatings and friction material manufacturers rather than purely as an energy product. We broker technical, acid and distilled grades from the producing regions, principally India, Vietnam, Brazil and West Africa.
The grades, and why they price so differently
The gap between technical CNSL and distilled cardanol is the single largest value step in this chain. A processor with a column is in a different business from one without.
- Technical CNSL (tCNSL), produced by thermal processing of the shells at roughly 180 to 200 °C. During roasting the anacardic acid decarboxylates to cardanol, so technical CNSL is cardanol-rich: typically in the region of 60 % cardanol with cardol, methylcardol and a polymer fraction making up the balance. This is the workhorse grade.
- Acid grade / natural CNSL, cold-extracted, retaining anacardic acid rather than converting it. A different chemistry and a different buyer.
- Distilled and refined CNSL, and separated cardanol, where a processor has a distillation column. Much higher value, and the direction processors in India and Vietnam have been investing in.
- Residue and pitch fractions, into fuel and lower-value outlets.
Where it goes
- Friction materials. Brake linings and clutch facings, one of the classic and still substantial CNSL outlets.
- Phenolic resins and coatings. Cardanol-based resins, with the long unsaturated side chain giving flexibility that petroleum phenol does not.
- Anti-corrosion coatings and paints, drawing on the natural phenolic properties.
- Surfactants and plasticisers, as a bio-based chemical intermediate.
- Epoxy curing agents, a growing cardanol application.
- Fuel, for residue fractions and off-specification material, where chemical outlets are not available.
Specification
| Grade | Technical, acid/natural, distilled or cardanol. |
|---|---|
| Cardanol content | Percentage. The principal value driver. |
| Cardol content | Percentage. Affects downstream behaviour and is usually specified separately. |
| Anacardic acid | Present in cold-extracted material, largely converted in technical grade. |
| Polymer content | The heavier fraction; drives viscosity and processing behaviour. |
| Moisture | Settlement weight and stability. |
| Viscosity | Handling, pumping and heated storage. |
| Iodine value | Degree of unsaturation of the side chain. |
| Ash and insolubles | Shell carry-over from extraction. |
| Colour | Matters increasingly as processors compete on ultra-light distilled grades. |
| Origin | India, Vietnam, Brazil, Tanzania, Côte d'Ivoire and other West African origins. |
How we broker it
We act for cashew processors and CNSL distillers placing volume, and for resin, friction material and coatings manufacturers sourcing it. A great deal of CNSL is still sold as a generic dark oil with no analysis, which is the cheapest way to sell a chemical feedstock. The first thing we ask for is the grade and the cardanol percentage, because without those an offer competes on price alone against material that may be substantially different.
It moves in drums, flexitanks, isotanks and bulk depending on volume and origin, generally with heated handling given the viscosity.
Frequently asked questions
What is CNSL?
Cashew nut shell liquid: the dark, viscous, caustic liquid contained in the cashew nut shell. It is a natural source of long-chain phenols, principally anacardic acid, cardanol and cardol, which is why it is valued as a chemical feedstock rather than simply as an energy product.
What is the difference between technical CNSL and natural CNSL?
Technical CNSL is produced by thermal processing of the shells at roughly 180 to 200 °C, during which anacardic acid decarboxylates into cardanol, giving a cardanol-rich product typically around 60 % cardanol. Natural or acid grade CNSL is cold-extracted and retains anacardic acid. They are different chemistries with different buyers.
What is cardanol used for?
Phenolic resins, epoxy curing agents, friction materials such as brake linings, anti-corrosion coatings, surfactants and plasticisers. The long unsaturated side chain gives properties petroleum-derived phenol does not, which is the basis of most cardanol applications.
Where is CNSL produced?
Wherever cashews are processed at scale: India, Vietnam, Brazil, Tanzania and West African origins including Côte d'Ivoire. Processors in India and Vietnam have been investing in distillation capacity to compete on higher-value light-coloured grades.
Can CNSL be used as a fuel?
Residue and pitch fractions and off-specification material do go to fuel outlets. For on-specification technical CNSL and distilled cardanol the chemical outlets pay considerably better, so selling good material as fuel is usually leaving money on the table.
What should be on a CNSL offer?
Grade, cardanol percentage, cardol percentage, polymer content, moisture and viscosity, plus origin. A great deal of CNSL is offered as a generic dark oil with no analysis, and it prices accordingly, well below what the same material would fetch properly documented.
Who to ask about CNSL (cashew nut shell liquid)
Ask us. CNSL to place or cardanol to source? Tell us the grade and the cardanol percentage. We answer the same working day, in English or Dutch, and there is no charge and no obligation for a market read or a second opinion on a specification.
You get Bart van den Brug directly, not a call centre and not a form that goes nowhere. We are an independent broker: we never take title, we do not trade our own book, and we are paid a commission only on business that actually concludes. That is why we will also tell you when the answer is no.
+31 6 115 83 448
[email protected]
Sustainable Commodities 3 B.V., Lemmer, the Netherlands
Last reviewed 09 August 2026 by Bart van den Brug, Sustainable Commodities 3 B.V. (KvK 99665042), Lemmer, the Netherlands. Regulatory references are given for orientation and are not legal advice; verify against the current Official Journal text before contracting.