A natural and safe means to protect various surfaces is carnauba wax. This substance is of plant origin, it is non-toxic and is approved for use even as a food preservative. It is with this wax that the fruits are coated for better preservation and an appetizing appearance.
Physical and chemical properties
Carnauba wax is usually supplied in the form of semi-solid flakes of a yellowish, and possibly gray, hue. To make the substance suitable for use, it must be heated. The melting point of wax, according to various sources, ranges from 83 to 100 degrees. It depends on the variety (and there are more than seven) and the freshness of the wax. This temperature is significantly higher than any other wax of plant or animal origin. When heated, it acquires a sweet aroma, dissolves in oils and is often used in the manufacture of decorative cosmetics, as well as a stabilizer in the home-made creams. Often carnauba wax is used in combination with other, cheaper waxes, increasing its melting point and giving strength to the final product.
The wax consists mainly of esters of cerotinic acid and monohydric higher alcohols. The same cerotinic acid is also found in beeswax. Among other components are fatty alcohols, to a lesser extent fatty acids, and in an amount of not more than 3%, hydrocarbons. The saponification number of carnauba wax is about 80-85, and the unsaponifiable fraction is about 55%. The acid number is 3.
In nature, this wax has a powdery appearance. It covers the leaves of a fan-shaped palm tree growing in Brazil of a certain variety and protects them from excessive moisture in dry periods. He is going in the summer.
Scopes and practical tips
Carnauba wax is introduced into the polishes for furniture and cars. It is found in ready-made formulations (for example, under the brand name "Liberon"), and is also used for making mastics independently (for this, wax is added to heated linseed oil). Covering the furniture with its composition eliminates the possible health damage caused by various varnishes. Furniture acquires a noble color and luster, however, such a coating requires special care, although it is much less afraid of moisture than beeswax. Wax is also used to process smaller wood products, in particular smoking pipes and knife handles. Ready-made mastics based on it resemble thick honey in consistency.
Widely used carnauba wax and in the manufacture of cosmetics. In industrial lipsticks and lip balms, its share can reach 10%, in creams it contains two to four times less. It allows you to create a fairly dense texture of the cosmetic product, without giving it an unpleasant odor and excess stickiness. As part of creams, it helps restore cracked skin. Therefore, carnauba wax in the composition always speaks in favor of the purchased product.
Other applications include the manufacture of shoe creams and protective floor coverings. It is also used in confectionery and pharmaceutical production, being the basis for candy glaze and tablet shells.
Whatever the purpose of Carnauba wax, when working independently with it, certain rules should be followed. First of all, you need to avoid heating it directly in the dishes. The best option is a water bath. Depending on the specific formulation, the oil may first be heated, and only then wax (in mastics) can be added, or wax can be put in a container at the same time as oils and an emulsifier (in creams).
Most often, this wax is sold in the form of flakes, but you can also find such forms of release as whetstones, granules or powder. Buy it, most often, in online stores.