Paraffin wax is a refined hydrocarbon mixture extracted from petroleum, shale oil and bituminous mineral oil distillates. It mainly consists of straight-chain saturated alkanes with the general molecular formula CnH2n+2, presenting colorless, odorless and tasteless traits. Classified by physical morphology, it includes liquid paraffin, solid paraffin and microcrystalline wax. As a petroleum processing derivative with unique crystal structure, it is produced through crude oil lubricating fraction refining, dewaxing, crystallization and solvent deoiling purification, featuring pure texture and stable comprehensive performance.
Chemical Properties
Melting point | 58-62 °C ((ASTM D 87)) |
Boiling point | 322 °C |
density | 0.82 g/mL at 20 °C |
refractive index | n20/D 1.45 |
storage temp. | Store below +30°C. |
solubility | Soluble in chloroform, ether, volatile oils, and most warm fixed oils; slightly soluble in ethanol; practically insoluble in acetone, ethanol (95%), and water. Paraffin can be mixed with most waxes if melted and cooled. |
form | extra-low viscosity |
color | white |
Odor | odorless |
explosive limit | 0.6-6.5%(V) |
Product Applications
Benefiting from its stability, low cost and phase-change thermal performance, paraffin wax is widely deployed in multiple fields. It is commonly used for manufacturing candles, matches, water repellents, medical ointments, high-grade fatty acids and alcohols, as well as electrical insulation materials. It also serves as a core auxiliary material for packaging, construction protection, agricultural processing and military camouflage. Furthermore, it is a mainstream research material for modern phase change energy storage systems, widely applied in industrial energy-saving and thermal regulation projects.
