Paraffin wax

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Paraffin wax
Paraffin wax is a white or colorless soft solid derivable from petroleum, coal or oil shale,
that consists of a mixture of hydrocarbon molecules containing between twenty and forty
carbon atoms. It is solid at room temperature and begins to melt above approximately 37 C
(99 F);[1] its boiling point is >370 C (698 F).[2] Common applications for paraffin wax
include lubrication, electrical insulation, and candles. [3] It is distinct from kerosene, another
petroleum product that is sometimes called paraffin.
Paraffin candles are odorless, and bluish-white in color. Paraffin wax was first created in the
1850s, and marked a major advancement in candlemaking technology, as it burned more
cleanly and reliably than tallow candles, and was cheaper to produce. [4]
In chemistry, paraffin is used synonymously with alkane, indicating hydrocarbons with the
general formula CnH2n+2. The name is derived from Latin parum ("barely") + affinis, meaning
"lacking affinity" or "lacking reactivity", referring to paraffin's unreactive nature.[5]

Contents

1 Properties
2 History
3 Manufacturing
4 Applications
o 4.1 Other uses
5 Occupational safety
6 See also
7 References

Properties
Paraffin wax is mostly found as a white, odorless, tasteless, waxy solid, with a typical
melting point between about 46 and 68 C (115 and 154 F),[6] and a density of around
900 kg/m3.[7] It is insoluble in water, but soluble in ether, benzene, and certain esters. Paraffin

is unaffected by most common chemical reagents but burns readily.[8] Its heat of combustion
is 42 kJ/g.

The hydrocarbon C31H64 is a typical component of paraffin wax.

Paraffin wax is an excellent electrical insulator, with a resistivity of between 1013 and 1017
ohm metre.[9] This is better than nearly all other materials except some plastics (notably
Teflon). It is an effective neutron moderator and was used in James Chadwick's 1932
experiments to identify the neutron.[10][11]
Paraffin wax is an excellent material for storing heat, with a specific heat capacity of 2.14
2.9 J g1 K1 (joules per gram kelvin) and a heat of fusion of 200220 J g1.[12] This property
is exploited in modified drywall for home building material: a certain type of wax (with the
right melting point) is infused in the drywall during manufacture so that it melts during the
day, absorbing heat, and solidifies again at night, releasing the heat.[13] Paraffin wax phasechange cooling coupled with retractable radiators was used to cool the electronics of the
Lunar Rover.[14] Wax expands considerably when it melts and this allows its use in wax
thermostatic element thermostats for industrial, domestic and, particularly, automobile
purposes.[15][16]

History
Paraffin wax was first created in the 1850s when chemists first developed the means to
efficiently separate and refine the waxy substances naturally occurring in petroleum. Paraffin
represented a major advance in the candlemaking industry because it burned more cleanly
and reliably, and was cheaper to manufacture than any other candle fuel. Paraffin wax
initially suffered from having a low melting point, however, a shortcoming later remedied by
the addition of harder stearic acid. The production of paraffin wax enjoyed a boom in the
early 20th century as a result of the growth of the meatpacking and oil industries, which
created paraffin and stearic acid as byproducts.[17]

Manufacturing
The feedstock for paraffin is slack wax, which is a mixture of oil and wax, a byproduct from
the refining of lubricating oil.
The first step in making paraffin wax is to remove the oil (de-oiling or de-waxing) from the
slack wax. The oil is separated through crystallization. Most commonly, the slack wax is
heated, mixed with one or more solvents such as a ketone and then cooled. As it is cooled,
wax crystallizes out leaving oil in solution. This mixture is filtered into two streams: solid
(wax plus some solvent) and liquid (oil and solvent). After the solvent is recovered by
distillation, the resulting products are called "product wax" (or "press wax") and "foots oil".
The lower the percentage of oil in the wax the more refined it is considered (semi-refined
versus fully refined).[18] The product wax may be further processed to remove colors and
odors. The wax may finally be blended together to give certain desired properties such as
melt point and penetration. Paraffin wax is sold in either liquid or solid form.[19][20][21]

Applications
In industrial applications, it is often useful to modify the crystal properties of the paraffin
wax, typically by adding branching to the existing carbon backbone chain. The modification
is usually done with additives, such as EVA copolymers, microcrystalline wax, or forms of
polyethylene. The branched properties result in a modified paraffin with a higher viscosity,
smaller crystalline structure, and modified functional properties. Pure paraffin wax is rarely
used for carving original models for casting metal and other materials in the lost wax process,
as it is relatively brittle at room temperature and presents the risks of chipping and breakage
when worked. Soft and pliable waxes, like beeswax, may be preferred for such sculpture, but
"investment casting waxes," often paraffin-based, are expressly formulated for the purpose.
In a pathology laboratory, paraffin wax is used to impregnate tissue prior to sectioning thin
samples of tissue. Water is removed from tissue through ascending strengths of alcohol (75%
to absolute) and the tissue is cleared in an organic solvent such as xylene. The tissue is then
placed in paraffin wax for a number of hours and then set in a mold with wax to cool and
solidify; sections are cut then on a microtome.

Other uses

Candle-making
Coatings for waxed paper or cloth
Food-grade paraffin wax:
o Shiny coating used in candy-making; although edible, it is nondigestible,
passing right through the body without being broken down
o Coating for many kinds of hard cheese, like Edam cheese
o Sealant for jars, cans, and bottles
o Chewing gum additive
Investment casting
Anti-caking agent, moisture repellent, and dustbinding coatings for fertilizers
Agent for preparation of specimens for histology
Bullet lubricant with other ingredients, such as olive oil and beeswax
Phlegmatizing agent, commonly used to stabilise/desensitize high explosives such as
RDX
Crayons
Solid propellant for hybrid rocket motors[22]
Component of surfwax, used for grip on surfboards in surfing
Component of glide wax, used on skis and snowboards
Friction-reducer, for use on handrails and cement ledges, commonly used in
skateboarding
Ink. Used as the basis for solid ink different color blocks of wax for thermal printers.
The wax is melted and then sprayed on the paper producing images with a shiny
surface
Microwax:[23] food additive, a glazing agent with E number E905
Forensic investigations: the nitrate test uses paraffin wax to detect nitrates and nitrites
on the hand of a shooting suspect
Antiozonant agents: blends of paraffin and micro waxes are used in rubber
compounds to prevent cracking of the rubber; the admixture of wax migrates to the

surface of the product and forms a protective layer. The layer can also act as a release
agent, helping the product separate from its mould.[24]
Mechanical thermostats and actuators, as an expansion medium for activating such
devices[16]
"Potting" guitar pickups, which reduces microphonic feedback caused from the subtle
movements of the pole pieces
"Potting" of local oscillator coils to prevent microphonic frequency modulation in low
end FM radios.
Wax baths for beauty and therapy purposes
Thickening agent in many paintballs
Moisturiser in toiletries and cosmetics such as Vaseline, though potentially
comedogenic.
Prevents oxidation on the surface of polished steel and iron[25]
Phase change material for thermal energy storage
Manufacture of boiled leather armor and books
Skateboard wax
Paraffin microactuator[26]
Neutron radiation shielding
waterproofing agent for waxed cotton garments and commercially important in the
early water proofing of ship sails.
Nipple lubricant

Occupational safety
People can be exposed to paraffin in the workplace by breathing it in, skin contact, and eye
contact. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has set a
recommended exposure limit (REL) for paraffin wax fume exposure of 2 mg/m3 over an 8hour workday.[27]

See also

Oligomer
Ozokerite

References
1.
Freund, Mihly; Mzes, Gyula; Jakab, E. (trans) (1982). Paraffin products: properties,
technologies, applications. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. p. 121. ISBN 0-444-99712-1.
Cite uses deprecated parameter |coauthors= (help)
"Paraffin Wax". Chemical book. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
Raw materials and candles production processes, AECM
"History of Candles". National Candle Association. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
"Paraffin, n". Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.
March 2009.

 Nasser, William E (1999). "Waxes, Natural and Synthetic". In McKetta, John J.

Encyclopedia of Chemical Processing and Design 67. New York: Marcel Dekker. p. 17.
ISBN