Wax candle

Wax has traditionally referred to a substance that is secreted by bees (beeswax) and used by them in constructing their honeycombs. Bees are flying Insects closely related to Wasps and Ants Bees are a Monophyletic lineage within the superfamily Apoidea For the rock song by Nirvana see Beeswax (song. Beeswax is a natural Wax produced in the bee hive of Honey bees of the genus A honeycomb is a mass of Hexagonal Wax cells built by Honey bees in their nests to contain their larvae and stores of Honey and

It is an imprecisely defined term generally understood to be a substance with properties similar to beeswax, namely

• plastic (malleable) at normal ambient temperatures
• a melting point above approximately 45 °C (113 °F) (which differentiates waxes from fats and oils)
• a relatively low viscosity when melted (unlike many plastics)
• insoluble in water
• hydrophobic

Waxes may be natural secretions of plants or animals, artificially produced by purification from natural petroleum or completely synthetic. For the rock song by Nirvana see Beeswax (song. Beeswax is a natural Wax produced in the bee hive of Honey bees of the genus For malleability in Cryptography, see Malleability (cryptography. The melting point of a solid is the temperature range at which it changes state from solid to Liquid. Fats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and largely insoluble in water An oil is a substance that is in a viscous Liquid state ( "oily") at ambient temperatures or slightly warmer and is Viscosity is a measure of the resistance of a Fluid which is being deformed by either Shear stress or Extensional stress. Plastic is the general common term for a wide range of synthetic or semisynthetic organic solid materials suitable for the manufacture of industrial products Solubility is the characteristic Physical property referring to the ability of a given substance the Solute, to dissolve in a Solvent. In Chemistry, hydrophobicity (from the combining form of water in Attic Greek hydro- and for fear phobos) refers to the physical property of In addition to beeswax, carnauba (a plant epicuticular wax) and paraffin (a petroleum wax) are commonly encountered waxes which occur naturally. For the rock song by Nirvana see Beeswax (song. Beeswax is a natural Wax produced in the bee hive of Honey bees of the genus Carnauba is a Wax derived from the leaves of the Carnauba palm ( Copernicia prunifera) a plant native to and grown only in the northeastern Brazilian In Botany, the Plant cuticle is covered by epicuticular wax mainly consistingof straight-chain Aliphatic Hydrocarbons with a variety of substituted In chemistry paraffin is the common name for the Alkane Hydrocarbons with the general formula C n H2 n +2 Earwax is an oily substance found in the human ear. Earwax, also known by the Medical term cerumen, is a yellowish waxy substance secreted in the Ear canal of Humans and many other The ear is the sense organ that detects Sounds The Vertebrate ear shows a common biology from Fish to Humans with variations Some artificial materials such as silicone wax that exhibit similar properties are also described as wax or waxy.

Commercial honeycomb foundation, made by pressing beeswax between patterned metal rollers.

Wax chemistry

Chemically, a wax is a type of lipid that may contain a wide variety of long-chain alkanes, esters, polyesters and hydroxy esters of long-chain primary alcohols and fatty acids. Lipids are broadly defined as any fat- Soluble ( lipophilic) naturally-occurring Molecule, such as fats oils waxes cholesterol sterols fat-soluble Alkanes, also known as Paraffins are Chemical compounds that consist only of the elements Carbon (C and Hydrogen (H (i Esters are a class of Chemical compounds and Functional groups Esters consist of an inorganic or organic Acid in which at least Polyester is a category of Polymers which contain the Ester Functional group in their main chain A primary alcohol is an Alcohol which has the Hydroxyl radical connected to a Primary carbon. In Chemistry, especially Biochemistry, a fatty acid is a Carboxylic acid often with a long unbranched Aliphatic tail ( chain) which They are usually distinguished from fats by the lack of triglyceride esters of glycerin (propan-1,2,3-triol) and three fatty acids. Fats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and largely insoluble in water (more properly known as, TAG or triacylglyceride) is Glyceride in which the Glycerol is Esterified with three Fatty acids It is the In addition to the esters that contribute to the high melting point and hardness of carnauba wax, the epicuticular waxes of plants are mixtures of substituted long-chain aliphatic hydrocarbons, containing alkanes, fatty acids, primary and secondary alcohols, diols, ketones, aldehydes. In Botany, the Plant cuticle is covered by epicuticular wax mainly consistingof straight-chain Aliphatic Hydrocarbons with a variety of substituted In Organic chemistry, compounds composed of Carbon and Hydrogen are divided into two classes Aromatic compounds which contain Benzene rings In Organic chemistry, a hydrocarbon is an Organic compound consisting entirely of Hydrogen and Carbon. Alkanes, also known as Paraffins are Chemical compounds that consist only of the elements Carbon (C and Hydrogen (H (i In Chemistry, an alcohol is any Organic compound in which a Hydroxyl group ( - O[[hydrogen H]]) is bound to a Carbon A diol or glycol is a Chemical compound containing two Hydroxyl groups (-OH groups Vicinal diols have hydroxyl groups attached to adjacent atoms A ketone (pronounced as key tone) is either the Functional group characterized by a Carbonyl group (O=C linked to two other Carbon atoms or An aldehyde is an organic compound containing a terminal Carbonyl group. ^[1] Paraffin waxes are hydrocarbons, mixtures of alkanes usually in a homologous series of chain lengths. In Organic chemistry, a hydrocarbon is an Organic compound consisting entirely of Hydrogen and Carbon. Alkanes, also known as Paraffins are Chemical compounds that consist only of the elements Carbon (C and Hydrogen (H (i In Chemistry, a homologous series is a series of Organic compounds with a similar General formula, possessing similar chemical properties due to the presence

Uses of wax

Waxes are used to impregnate and coat paper and card, to waterproof it or make it resistant to staining, or to modify its surface properties. Waxes are also used in wax polishes for furniture and other wood products, footwear and vehicles, as mould release agents in mould making, as a coating for Edam and Gouda cheeses, and to waterproof leather and fabric. Wood finishing refers to the process of embellishing and/or protecting the surface Wood is hard fibrous lignified structural tissue produced as secondary Xylem in the stems of Woody plants notably trees but also shrubs Fiberglass molding is a process in which Fiberglass reinforced resin plastics are formed into useful shapes Edam ( Dutch Edammer) is a Dutch Cheese that is traditionally sold as Gouda (ˈgaʊdə or; from Dutch IPA:, or Goudse kaas kaːs "Cheese from Gouda " is a yellow Cheese made from Wax has been used since antiquity as a temporary, removable model in lost-wax casting of gold, silver and other materials. Lost-wax casting, sometimes called by the French name of cire perdue, is the process by which a bronze is cast from an artist's sculpture in industrial uses the modern process Gold (ˈɡoʊld is a Chemical element with the symbol Au (from its Latin name aurum) and Atomic number 79 Silver (ˈsɪlvɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol " Ag " (argentum from the Ancient Greek: ἀργήντος - argēntos gen Waxes and hard fats such as tallow have long been use to make candles, used for lighting and decoration in a number of religious traditions, including Christianity and Hinduism. Tallow is a rendered form of Beef or Mutton Fat, processed from Suet. A candle is a Light source and sometimes a Heat source consisting of a solid block of Fuel and an embedded wick. Chanukah, the Jewish Festival of Lights which centers on the lighting of candles, dates back to 165 BCE. Hanukkah (חנוכה alt Chanukah) also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the There are several Biblical references to candles, and the Emperor Constantine is reported to have called for the use of candles during an Easter service in the 4th century CE. Candles continue to be used to by Christians in worship as symbols of the light of Christ. Candles have also played a role in paganism, in Wiccan ceremonies, and in modern humanist festivals. Wax candles were also used in secular life for lighting, signals in warfare, safety in travel and for time keeping, and are still in popular use today to provide soft lighting for meals and other social activities. Secularity ( adjective form secular) is the state of being separate from Religion. Wax with coloured pigments added has been used as a medium in encaustic painting, and is used today in the manufacture of crayons and coloured pencils. For encaustic tiles see Encaustic tile Encaustic painting, also known as hot wax painting, involves using heated Beeswax to A crayon is a stick of colored Wax, Charcoal, Chalk, or other materials used for writing and Drawing. A pencil is a Writing or Drawing instrument consisting of a thin stick of Pigment (usually Graphite, but can also be coloured pigment or Carbon paper, used for making duplicate typewritten documents was coated with carbon black suspended in wax, typically montan wax, but has largely been superseded by photocopiers and computer printers. Carbon paper (originally carbonic paper) is Paper coated on one side with a layer of a loosely bound dry Ink or pigmented coating usually bound with A typewriter is a mechanical or Electromechanical device with a set of "keys" that when pressed cause characters to be printed on a medium Carbon black is a material produced by the incomplete Combustion of heavy Petroleum products such as FCC tar coal tar ethylene cracking tar and a small amount from Montan wax, also known as lignite wax or OP wax, is a hard Wax obtained by Solvent extraction of certain types of Lignite or brown A photocopier (or copier is a machine that makes Paper copies of documents and other visual images quickly and cheaply In another context, lipstick and mascara are blends of various fats and waxes coloured with pigments, and both beeswax and lanolin are used in other cosmetics. Lipstick is a cosmetic product containing pigments oils waxes and emollients that applies color and texture to the lips. Mascara is a cosmetic used to darken thicken and define Eyelashes Mascara comes in three forms liquid cake and cream For the rock song by Nirvana see Beeswax (song. Beeswax is a natural Wax produced in the bee hive of Honey bees of the genus Lanolin, also called Adeps Lanae, wool wax, wool fat, anhydrous wool fat or wool grease, is a greasy yellow substance secreted by Also, the sports of skiing, snowboarding and skateboarding often use wax to enhance the performance. Snow skiing is a group of sports utilizing Skis as primary equipment Snowboarding is a sport that involves descending a Snow -covered slope on a Snowboard attached to a participant's feet using a special boot set into a mounted binding Skateboarding is the act of riding and performing tricks using a Skateboard. See Mojo wax.

Wax types

Animal waxes

• Beeswax - produced by honey bees
• Chinese wax - produced by the scale insect Ceroplastes ceriferus
• Shellac wax - from the lac insect Kerria lacca
• Spermaceti - from the head cavities and blubber of the sperm whale
• Lanolin (wool wax) - from the sebaceous glands of sheep
• Ear wax - found in the human ear. For the rock song by Nirvana see Beeswax (song. Beeswax is a natural Wax produced in the bee hive of Honey bees of the genus This article refers collectively to all true honey bees for the "common" domesticated honey bee see European honey bee Honey bees Chinese wax is a white to yellowish-white gelatinous crystalline water-insoluble substance obtained from the Wax secreted by certain insects The scale insects are small Insects of the order Hemiptera, generally classified as the Superfamily Coccoidea. Shellac is the commercial resin marketed in the form of amber flakes made from Lac, the secretion of the family of lac-producing insects though most commonly from the Lac is the scarlet resinous secretion of a number of species of Lac-producing insects the most commonly cultivated of which is Kerria lacca. Spermaceti (from Greek sperma, seed and cetus, whale is a Wax present in the head cavities of the Sperm whale ( Physeter The Sperm Whale ( Physeter macrocephalus or Physeter catodon) is the largest of all Toothed whales and largest living toothed animal Lanolin, also called Adeps Lanae, wool wax, wool fat, anhydrous wool fat or wool grease, is a greasy yellow substance secreted by The sebaceous glands are Glands found in the Skin of Mammals Locations and morphology A branched type of Acinar gland, these Earwax, also known by the Medical term cerumen, is a yellowish waxy substance secreted in the Ear canal of Humans and many other Human beings, humans or man (Origin 1590–1600 L homō man OL hemō the earthly one (see Humus

Vegetable waxes

• Bayberry wax - from the surface of the berries of the bayberry shrub, Myrica faya
• Candelilla wax - from the Mexican shrubs Euphorbia cerifera and E. antisyphilitica
• Carnauba wax - from the leaves of the Carnauba palm, Copernica cerifera
• Castor wax - catalytically hydrogenated castor oil
• Esparto wax - a byproduct of making paper from esparto grass, (Macrochloa tenacissima)
• Japan wax - a vegetable triglyceride (not a true wax), from the berries of Rhus and Toxicodendron species
• Jojoba oil - a replacement for spermaceti, jojoba is pressed from the seeds of the jojoba bush, Simmondsia chinensis
• Ouricury wax - from the Brazilian Feather palm, Syagrus coronata. Bayberry wax is an aromatic green vegetable Wax. It is removed from the surface of the fruit of the bayberry (wax-myrtle shrub by boiling the berries in water and Myrica is a genus of about 35-50 species of small Trees and Shrubs in the family Myricaceae order Fagales Candelilla wax is a Wax derived from the leaves of the small Candelilla shrub native to northern Mexico and the southwestern United States Euphorbia cerifera Candelilla ( Euphorbia antisyphilitica) is a Shrubby Spurge native to southwest Texas and Mexico, having densely clustered Candelilla ( Euphorbia antisyphilitica) is a Shrubby Spurge native to southwest Texas and Mexico, having densely clustered Carnauba is a Wax derived from the leaves of the Carnauba palm ( Copernicia prunifera) a plant native to and grown only in the northeastern Brazilian Copernicia prunifera or the carnauba palm or carnaubeira palm is a Species of Palm tree native to northeastern Brazil Castor wax, also called Hydrogenated Castor oil, is a hard brittle vegetable Wax. Castor oil is a Vegetable oil obtained from the Castor bean (technically castor seed as the castor plant Ricinus communis, is not a member of Esparto, or esparto grass, also known as "halfah grass" or "needle grass" Macrochloa tenacissima and Stipa tenacissima, is a perennial Japan wax is a pale-yellow waxy water-insoluble solid with a gummy feel obtained from the berries of certain Sumacs native to Japan and China, such as (more properly known as, TAG or triacylglyceride) is Glyceride in which the Glycerol is Esterified with three Fatty acids It is the Jojoba oil (pronounced "ho-HO-bah" is the liquid Wax produced in the seed of the Jojoba ( Simmondsia chinensis) plant a Shrub Spermaceti (from Greek sperma, seed and cetus, whale is a Wax present in the head cavities of the Sperm whale ( Physeter Jojoba ( Simmondsia chinensis) pronounced "hō- hō' -bə" is a Shrub native to the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts Ouricury wax is a brown-colored Wax obtained from the leaves of a Brazilian Feather Palm Syagrus coronata or Cocos coronata by scraping Arecaceae or Palmae (also known by the name Palmaceae, which is taxonomically invalid or commonly palm tree) the palm family is a family of Flowering
• Rice bran wax - obtained from rice bran (Oryza sativa)
• Soy wax - from soybean oil. Rice bran wax is the vegetable Wax extracted from the bran oil of rice ( Oryza sativa) Rice is a Cereal foodstuff which forms an important part of the diet of many people worldwide and as such it is a staple food for many Bran is the hard outer layer of Grain and consists of combined Aleurone and Pericarp.

Mineral waxes

• Ceresin waxes
• Montan wax - extracted from lignite and brown coal
• Ozocerite - found in lignite beds
• Peat waxes

Petroleum waxes

• Paraffin wax - made of long-chain alkane hydrocarbons
• Microcrystalline wax - with very fine crystalline structure

Synthetic waxes

• Polyethylene waxes - based on polyethylene
• Fischer-Tropsch waxes
• Chemically modified waxes - usually esterified or saponified
• substituted amide waxes
• polymerized α-olefins

References

External links

• Waxes
• www.igiwax.com, resource for wax product research
• www.microcrystallinewax.net, resource for microcrystalline wax research