WAXES

GROUP 1
AWORI ANNA 23/U/07080/PS
MWASE JOSHUA MARK 23/U/24242/PS
NANYANGE CHRISTINE ANGELL 23/U/15342/PS
AYELLA JOHNATHAN BONGOMIN 23/U/07171/PS
RUHANGARIYO EVELYN 23/U/17112/PS
JJUUKO LARRY ABRAHAM 23/U/08447/PS
KWAGALA JOANNA KAAYA 23/U/10396/PS
NJAWUZI MARVIN 23/U/16026/PS
AINEMBABAZI GIFT 23/U/05323/PS
NAMBALIRWA BENITAH 23/U/1104
KWEHAYO PRAISE 23/U/0657
What are waxes?
Waxes are esters of fatty acid and alcohol apart from glycerol alcohol.
Waxes are insoluble in water but soluble in nonpolar organic solvents
such as hexane, benzene, and chloroform.
Natural waxes of different types are produced by plants and animals
and occur in petroleum containing unsaturated bonds and include
various functional groups such as fatty acids, primary and secondary
alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, and fatty acid esters.
Synthetic waxes often consist of homologous series of long-chain
aliphatic hydrocarbons (alkanes or paraffins) that lack functional groups
Properties of waxes
Water repellant; due to the hydrophobic nature of their long
hydrocarbon chain.
High melting points due to the stability of the complex molecular
structures.
Low coefficient of friction due to the low surface energy thus ability
to deform under pressure thus most are used as lubricants.
Low conductivity thus most are used as insulators.
Structure of waxes
Basic structure; waxes are made of long hydrocarbon chain with a
carboxylic acid group at one end that reacts with alcohol to form an
ester. The chains vary in length, branching and functional groups giving
waxes diverse properties.
Physical form; can be crystalline, i.e. with regularly ordered
arrangement of molecules or amorphous with random arrangement of
molecules.
The structures can be modified through chemical modifications or
blending different waxes.
NATURAL WAXES
They have a mixture of esters, alcohols and fatty acids with saturated
hydrocarbons having carbon numbers ranging from 18 – 60.
The long branched chains give them a microcrystalline structure.
RCOOH + R’OH RCOOR’ + H2O
 Carnauba Hard and glossy, got from trees of Brazilian wax
wax palm tree

Plant It is made of liquid with ester got from seeds of

Jojoba oil jojoba shrubs.
waxes
Candelilla
It is got from seeds of small candelilla shrub.
shrubs
 Candelilla wax
Carnauba

Jojoba
Animal wax
Animal waxes are derived from animals and insects, offering unique
moisturizing and soothing properties.
Bee waxes are mainly composed of palmitic acid esterified with
hexacosaonal.
Bee wax is secreted by the waxy glands on the last abdominal segment
of the worker bee.
Mineral waxes
These are derived from naturally occurring minerals like petroleum,
coal, lignite through fractional distillation.
They are characterized by high molecular weight hydrocarbons with
minimal alcohol and ester parts.
They are mainly divided into two classes of petroleum waxes and
montan waxes.
Petroleum wax is derived from crude oil and are of three types;
1. Paraffin wax; this is separated and refines from distilled oil under
reduced pressure. It consists of linear hydrocarbons with low oil
content. It is used in lubrication and making candles.
2. Microcrystalline; it is separated and purified from vacuum
distillation. It is solid at room temperature. It is composed of
branched hydrocarbons (isoparaffin) and saturated cyclic
hydrocarbon. They are small crystals with high oil content, soft
texture and flexible. Used in making cosmetics and polishes.
3. Petrolatum wax; it is separated and purified from vacuum distillation.
It has moisturizing properties thus used in cosmetic and medicine for
skin care.

Montan waxes are derived from brown coal through solvent extraction.
They are hard, dark brown to yellow when crude and white when
refined. They are chemically stable, tasteless and have high melting
point. They are used in making paints and plastics.
SYNTHETIC WAXES
These are waxes whose formation involves complex chemical processes
of converting natural gas (ethylene) into long chain paraffins. Ethylene
can be selectively dimerized to butene, which then undergoes
oligomerization to form longer-chain hydrocarbons. The reaction is
accelerated by increasing the temperature, leading to higher ethylene
conversion rates and liquid product yields
Fischer-Tropsch waxes
This is formed from the polymerization of carbon monoxide under high
pressure. Unbranched linear hydrocarbons are formed resulting in low
viscosity and hardness compared to other waxes. They have high melting
point and are used in making printing inks and adhesives.
A Fischer-Tropsch plant incorporates three major process sections:
1. Production of synthesis gas which is a mixture of carbon monoxide and
hydrogen,
2. Conversion of the synthesis gas to aliphatic hydrocarbon derivatives and
water, and
3. Hydrocracking the longer-chain, waxy synthetic hydrocarbon derivatives
to fuel grade fractions.
Polar waxes
These are formulated to withstand very low temperatures of between
-14 to -21 degree Celsius. This is by incorporating ingredients that
provide good thermal stability and low melting points.
Semi-synthetic waxes
Semi-synthetic waxes are partially synthetic and partially natural. It is
achieved through modifying natural waxes through processes like
oxidation or functionalization. This offers the wax with a desired
property like water wettability.
Polyolefin; are a class of synthetic resins prepared by the
polymerization of olefins hydrocarbons. They include polyethylene wax,
polypropylene wax, polyamide. They have a low molecular weight, high
melting point, thermal stability and high degree of crystallinity
(differentiates them from petroleum wax).
Biological functions of waxes
Energy reserves for animals for example bee wax and marine
organisms.
Natural coating in plants to prevent desiccation in leaves, plants and
seeds.
Act as protective barrier for example ear wax.
In insects, provides water proof exoskeleton, in mammals, provides
water proof skin from sebum secretion.
Joint lubricants in insects.
Essential in thermoregulation since they are good insulators.
Other functions
Used in cosmetics and skin care products because of their
moisturizing effect.
In textile to increase stiffness of clothes.
Are glazing agents thus act as food additive to maintain freshness by
preventing water loss in confectionery and chocolates.
Used in the manufacture of candles, crayons, paints and for
smoothening woodwork.