Paraffin wax ?

The hydrocarbon?C₃₁H₆₄?is a typical component of paraffin wax.

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Paraffin wax?is a white or colorless soft solid derivable from?petroleum,?coal?or?oil shale, that consists of a mixture ofhydrocarbon?molecules containing between twenty and forty carbon atoms. It is solid at room temperature and begins to melt above approximately 37?°C (99?°F);^[1]?its boiling point is >370?°C (698?°F).[2]?Common applications for paraffin wax includelubrication,?electrical insulation, and?candles.?[3]?It is distinct from?kerosene, another petroleum product that is sometimes called paraffin.

In chemistry,?paraffin?is used synonymously with?alkane, indicating hydrocarbons with the general formula C_nH_2n+2. The name is derived from?Latin?parum?("barely") +?affinis, meaning "lacking?affinity" or "lacking?reactivity", referring to paraffin's unreactive nature.[4]

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Applications

In industrial applications, it is often useful to modify the crystal properties of the paraffin wax, typically by adding?branching?to the existing carbon backbone chain. The modification is usually done with additives, such as?EVA copolymers,?microcrystalline wax, or forms of?polyethylene. The branched properties result in a modified paraffin with a higher viscosity, smaller crystalline structure, and modified functional properties. Pure paraffin wax is rarely used for carving original models forcasting?metal and other materials in the?lost wax process, as it is relatively brittle at room temperature and presents the risks of chipping and breakage when worked. Soft and pliable waxes, like?beeswax, may be preferred for such sculpture, but "investment casting?waxes," often paraffin-based, are expressly formulated for the purpose.

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Properties[edit]

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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),[5]?and a density of around 900?kg/m³.[6]?It is insoluble in water, but soluble in?ether,?benzene, and certain?esters. Paraffin is unaffected by most common chemical?reagents?but?burnsreadily.[7]?Its heat of combustion is 42 kJ/g.

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Paraffin wax is an excellent electrical?insulator, with a?resistivity?of between 10¹³?and 10¹⁷?ohm metre.[8]?This is better than nearly all other materials except some?plastics?(notably?Teflon). It is an effective?neutron moderator?and was used in?James Chadwick's 1932?experiments to identify the neutron.[9][10]

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Paraffin wax is an excellent material for?storing heat, with a?specific heat capacity?of 2.14–2.9?J?g^?1?K^?1?(joules?per?gramkelvin) and a?heat of fusion?of 200–220?J?g^?1.[11]?This property is exploited in modified?drywall?for home building material: a certain type of wax (with the right?melting point) is infused in the drywall during manufacture so that it melts during the day, absorbing heat, and solidifies again at night, releasing the heat.[12]?Paraffin wax phase-change cooling coupled with retractable radiators was used to cool the electronics of the?Lunar Rover.[13]?Wax expands considerably when it melts and this allows its use in?wax thermostatic element?thermostats?for industrial, domestic and, particularly, automobile purposes.

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