Paraffin wax

Paraffin wax refers to a white or colourless soft solid that is used as a lubricant and for other applications. It is derived from petroleum and consists of a mixture of hydrocarbon molecules containing between twenty and forty carbon atoms. It is solid at room temperature and begins to melt above approximately 37 °C (99 °F); its boiling point is >370 deg C.

In chemistry, paraffin is used synonymously with "alkane", indicating hydrocarbons with the general formula CnH2n+2

Properties

Paraffin wax is mostly found as a white, odorless, tasteless, waxy solid, with a typical melting point between about 46 and 68 °C (115 and 154 °F)] and having a density of around 900 kg/m3. It is insoluble in water, but soluble in ether, benzene, and certain esters. Paraffin is unaffected by most common chemical reagents but burns readily.

Parameter	Standard
Appearance White colour crystal mass;	grey and yellowish tints are permissible
Oil mass content, %, not more than	1,80
Melting temperature, °C, not lower than	52,0 – 58,0
Colour, relative sorts, not more than	11
Mechanical admixtures content	None
Water soluble acid and alkaline content	None
Water mass content, %, not more than	–