DESCRIPTION

Petroleum Wax occurs as a translucent wax that ranges in color from amber to almost white. It is a refined mixture of solid hydrocarbons, paraffinic in nature, obtained from petroleum. It may be prepared as “refined paraffin wax” or as “refined microcrystalline wax.” The refined paraffin wax is usually obtained from a lower-molecular-weight fraction of petroleum and has lower viscosities when molten than the refined microcrystalline wax. The refined microcrystalline wax is usually higher in molecular weight, in flash point, and in melting point than the refined paraffin wax. These waxes are graded and sold according to color and to melting point, which ranges from about 48° to 102°. They exhibit low solubility in organic solvents, but they are most soluble in aromatic hydrocarbons and least soluble in ketones, in esters, and in alcohols.