What is Wax: Definition and 31 Discussions

Waxes are a diverse class of organic compounds that are lipophilic, malleable solids near ambient temperatures. They include higher alkanes and lipids, typically with melting points above about 40 °C (104 °F), melting to give low viscosity liquids. Waxes are insoluble in water but soluble in organic, nonpolar solvents. Natural waxes of different types are produced by plants and animals and occur in petroleum.

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  1. kolleamm

    A liquid hardening wax material?

    I need a wax like material I can buy that I can paint onto a surface and then have it harden on it's own. I want to create fine details on a plastic model, so I would coat the model in wax with a brush, have the wax dry, and then sculpt out the details later. My ideas so far are wax for waxing...
  2. Dene

    I can't seem to keep my Paraffin wax in liquid form

    Hello everyone, I'm trying to make lubrication out of paraffin, this is what I am doing, 1/3 melted paraffin wax, 1/3 paraffin oil, and 1/3 xylene. After melting the wax I add the oil, I then add the oil, mix it well to the correct consistency, I then transfer it to a glass container where I...
  3. Waxfrage

    Wax that never burns -- Is that possible?

    Dear all, I am an artist and I am making a sculpture in wax that melts using an electric system. I know that wax ignites fire in a temperature of 200°, but, because it is an exhibition with public, I wanted to be completely sure that it does not take fire, in any temperature. Do you know if I...
  4. harini07

    What Is the Frequency of Tuning Fork B When Tuned with Wax If A Is 212 Hz?

    Homework Statement 2 tuning forks A and B, when sounded together produce 4 beats. when B is loaded with wax, the beat frequency remains same. if frequency of A is 212 Hz, then frequency of B is? Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution since the beat frequency is 4 and frequency of A is...
  5. T

    B Can Himalayan Salt Dissolve in Candle Wax?

    Ok i really need some help i want to make candles but i want to have himalayan pink salt dissolved in the wax I've tried but just can't get it to work... is there anyway at all that i can get the salt to dissolve? Please there's got to be away... thank you for ur time...
  6. S

    Creating a Battery Bank with Paraffin Wax as a Heat Sink

    I'm in charge of designing a battery bank (using 18650 batteries) that will produce large amounts of heat for a short period of time. The battery bank will be in a near vacuum (~800 Pa), so convective heat transfer will not be effective. Since the operation time is only ~80 seconds, my thought...
  7. Michael Grannis

    Make Spray Wax with Paraffin & Aerosol Can

    Hello all, my name is Mike and I'm looking to see if it is possible to keep a paraffin wax liquid inside an aerosol can. Then when sprayed out the wax turns to a solid film. Any help will be appreciated. Thank you for your time-Mike
  8. Shadow-Shocker

    Can PEG waterproof wood without altering its appearance?

    Hello I found a recipe for making a type of waterproof wax using beeswax and paraffin wax, and I plan to coat this type of wax with a piece of wood. Does anyone know with this type of wax, after coating the piece of wood, will the wax still prevent the wood from expanding in water?
  9. M

    How do I extract melissyl alcohol from rice bran wax?

    How do I extract triacontanol (melissyl alcohol) from rice bran wax? I have very little knowledge in chemistry, but can do basic procedures. I don't have a laboratory, just a kitchen. Is it an alcohol? Like, same as ethanol alcohol? Does that mean I can mix rice bran wax with ethanol and...
  10. P

    Find the Perfect Wax 3D Printer for Your Needs - Discover Now!

    hello! I am looking for a 3d printer that can print in wax is there any? thanks!
  11. H

    Comparing Specific Heat Capacity of Metals A & B in Wax Block

    Homework Statement the answer is c) but i can't figure why ! is the more heat capacity substance lose and gain energy faster than the other one so it take more energy to get it's temperature raised by the same amount because it lose most of it very fast during the heating process ?
  12. C

    PCM wax freezing outside solid, inside liquid

    A colleague and I want to model how a slab of PCM (wax) solidifies as it cools off. What I have noticed in my experiments is that temperature sensors on the top and bottom of the slab say it should be solid, as they read well below the melting point. But when I peek at the sample, the center...
  13. K

    Time for melting and vaporising a wax candle

    Homework Statement Assume that a wax candle with mass m at temperature T1 undergoes constant heat admission dQ/dt=Kp Assume: m=50g T1=25 celsius Kp=10W Calculate how long it will take for the wax to melt and vaporise during constant heat admission without any loss. Data: ρ=791...
  14. L

    Can wax be used as an effective energy storage mechanism for domestic heating?

    Hi I'm interested in energy storage for domestic heating. Does the "melting" and solidifying of wax involve a change of state (i.e. is it a good energy storage mechanism)? Thanks Laurie
  15. K

    Wax Rubbed on Paper: Why Paper Becomes Translucent

    Why does paper become translucent when wax, butter or oil is rubbed on it?
  16. Zenparticle

    How Do Colored Flames Work on Wax Candles?

    I purchased a set of "ColorFlame" candles, they burn like a normal candle except the flame gives off colorful flame, some green, some red, some purple and orange. I was curious as to how the candle burns a different color flame? And if it would be reasonably easy to do as a project at home? I...
  17. M

    Looking for a solvent for wax (paraffin)

    Really I'm looking for a good carrying agent that will dissolve paraffin wax, but preferably that also evaporates quickly AND doesn't come with serious health concerns. Basically, I'm trying to make a rust inhibitor using paraffin...where it can be applied and then the solvent evaporates...
  18. H

    Why does stainless steel float when coated with wax?

    Properties of Matter (Fluids) Why is it possible to float a wax-coated stainless steel needle on the surface of water?
  19. S

    Chemistry? What physical and chemical change occur when a wax candle burns?

    Homework Statement What physical and chemical changes occur when a wax candle burns? Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution
  20. T

    Wax in my heating system instead of water

    Hi, I'm a heating engineer. part 1: I typically install 300 litre to 100litres stores of hot water (to be extracted at 40deg c for low temp heating). I understand that the specific heat capacity of paraffin wax is something like ten times that of water. So can I play around with a...
  21. D

    Misc. DIY paraffin wax log for fire.

    OK, so paraffin is a hydrocarbon, and is a solid form of kerosene or mineral oil... I wanted to try making my own wax logs for starting our wood stove. Could I take dried out sawdust, mix it with a small amount of mineral oil, suck the moisture out of the "shape", allow for it to dry, then...
  22. J

    Wax that doesn't stick to hair

    Hello, I'm looking to improve on a surfboard wax recipe. My goal is to still provide the same stickiness needed to stay on a board yet not stick to hair. The current formula I use is very simple. 3 parts beeswax 1 part coconut oil Obviously the beeswax mixture sticks to everything...
  23. H

    Find Non-Sticky Water-Resistant Wax for Sealing Letters

    I need to find out this kind of wax: -it's solid hard in room temperature (it needs a knife to be cut), but also brittle -it's melting in above 100C (212F) when heated -it doesn't have sticky surface -it needs to be water-resistant So mainly this would be for sealing wax that can be...
  24. G

    How Can You Make Surf Wax Stickier?

    Most surf waxes today are pretty sticky but I want something stickier. I've been researching materials for surf wax making but it's hard to find any information on what super sticky adhesives are made of, like sticky tack or what in gum makes it so sticky. So far I've got parrafin or soy wax as...
  25. H

    Mystery of Candle Wax: Solving the Liquid to Solid Transition

    I was having a glass of wine over candlelight and I noticed that the liquid wax was completely transparent but turned opaque when when the wax solidified. Why does this happen? Clearly, when the molecules reorganize during the freezing phase transition they begin to interact with the light...
  26. C

    Thermal energy in a sample of candle wax?

    How can I design an experiment to determine the thermal energy in a sample of candle wax?
  27. W

    Why Does Pouring Water on a Burning Wax Bomb Create a Larger Flame?

    I remember playing with these things when I was small and today I happened to stumble upon this page describing how to recreate what I had done. However, I never actually figured out why it works and my memory is a bit fuzzy since it's been so long since I tried doing it again. So if you know...
  28. M

    Finding Solvent to Dissolve Paraffin Wax

    can anyone help me to find solvent to dissolve the Paraffin wax which i have? i need to knoe what type of solvent can dissolve it please.:confused:
  29. P

    How to mix parafin wax with chemicals

    I'm looking for a way to make a color flame candle . Are there any chemicals I can mix into paraffin wax to achieve these properties? The chemicals I'm looking for would be chemicals that don't cost very much and won't make the wax toxic when I'm burning it .
  30. S

    Make paraffin wax have a higher melting temperature

    I'm looking for a way to make paraffin wax have a higher melting temperature than it does, but without effecting how it drips. (this is for an artwork, so if it does then it spoils the look) Also without effecting the opacity too much. The melting temperature range I'm looking for is 100-110C...
  31. Q

    Why is hot wax thrown into cold water a dangerous combination?

    Hi, recently I found something out by playing around with candles. Basically I heated some candle wax until it was completely out of its solid state (at least through the first approximation of my eye.) Then I continued to heat the wax until the liquid wax ignited and started to burn. Usually...
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