How is paraffin wax made

The origination of paraffin wax is from crude oil, also laden with hydrocarbons of varying lengths. Paraffin, though classified as a petroleum wax, occurs organically as an alkane hydrocarbon made up of only hydrogen and carbon.

Like most waxes, paraffin is a derivative of beeswax, created, naturally, by bees. Plants are also capable of producing paraffin because of the protective layer that develops over the leaves and stems of a plant to shield itself from different weather conditions.

Over time, the coating on these dead plants were buried by the ever-changing land mass of the Earth. Subsequently, this transformed into crude oil, the source where paraffin issues from.

Aside from the obvious paraffin wax candle, the substance is also used for a variety of other practical functions. In drywalling, paraffin can be mixed with the drywall so that the concoction can melt during the day, while at the same time absorbing heat.

The high hydrogen content of paraffin wax prompted James Chadwick to use the substance in to discover the existence of an electrically neutral subatomic particle that he named the neutron. Chadwick used a radioactive element, polonium, as a source of alpha radiation, which is a stream of high-energy electrons.

He directed the alpha radiation at a beryllium target that then gave off its own radiation. Chadwick directed this electrically neutral secondary radiation into a sample of paraffin wax within a chamber attached to a Geiger counter. The secondary radiation caused ionized protons -- hydrogen atoms stripped of their electrons -- to register on the counter. The number of displaced paraffin wax protons indicated that the neutral secondary radiation contained particles of approximately the same size as protons -- neutrons.

Paraffin wax is one of several types of waxes suitable for making patterns, and the wax may contain additives that increase its usefulness. The procedure is to create a master pattern from plastic, wood, wax, clay or metal and then create a rubber or metal mold, the master die, from the pattern. Molten wax is then poured into the master die, either in many small layers or all at once. After the wax patterns cool and harden, ceramic materials are applied to produce the investment, which is a mold into which molten metals are cast.

Paraffin wax is non-toxic, indigestible and used to coat foods such as candies and cheeses. It can be used to seal containers and as an additive to chewing gum. Its ability to resist caking and moisture makes it a useful addition to fertilizers. Surfers often wax their boards with paraffin wax mixture known as surfwax that adds grip. As a glide wax, it helps skis and snowboards slip through snow and ice.

The wax is also used for heavy-duty floor wax, waterproofing textiles and paper, tanning leather, as rust preventives, and for masonry and concrete treatment. Microcrystalline wax is a special refined grade of paraffin wax. Paraffin Deut. Properties of Natural Waxes. Jump to: navigation , search. Category : Materials database.

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