White Carnauba Wax:

[TOGWT]

I’ve received quite a few emails on this subject so I thought I start a thread to find others input / comments / opinions

White Carnauba Wax:
Number one grade Carnauba varies from a very pale yellow (so called ‘white’), through a greenish brown (yellow). It is the world’s purest, hardest and most transparent natural wax repellent derived from the Brazilian palm Copernia Cerefera. This wax coats the leaves and is hydrophobic; it forms a barrier that is a natural deterrent from acid rain, airborne pollutants and acidic bird excrement.

Its colour is determined by the ages of the leaves when harvested, and ranges from pale yellow (new, unopened leaves) to a greenish brown (older leaves exposed to sun and weather).

There are various grades available (#1 Yellow and Yellow) the pale yellow wax (sometimes termed Ivory) has the highest clarity (very transparent) and is the highest grade of carnauba available, much sought after by concourse d’élégance entrants (See also Zymol website) A natural White Carnauba wax does not exist; this is just a marketing play on words to denote ‘purity’. In addition to colour, the wax is also graded according to area of origin—Parnahyba, Piaui, Ceara, and Bahai.

Bleached Carnauba wax:
It is practically impossible to bleach carnauba wax white without altering its composition. There is a demand for white carnauba wax for use in cosmetics, or other purposes where whiteness is a prime need. White carnauba wax may be prepared by several methods.

(a) The carnauba is mixed with paraffin, the temperature raised to about 220 degrees C, and activated carbon, or "Tonsil" clay is added.

(b) Carnauba is fractionally crystallized from its benzene solution at 16 deg. C, when crystals (melt. 80.8 deg. C) of pure white colour are collected, together with a by-product wax (melt. 60 deg. C).

(c) Crude carnauba wax is dissolved in boiling butanol and treated with metallic sodium, the effect of which is to bleach the wax. The solution is then filtered and the solvent recovered.

(d) The carnauba wax is mixed with paraffin, and then saponified with alkali. The saphonified mixture is then boiled with water, and the white wax separated as a layer from the aqueous soapy solution.

The last described method, which is of German and Austrian origin, permits the utilization of the cheap lower grades of natural wax. The white wax is non-saponifiable, or nearly so, and has a very low viscosity when melted.

Information resource-
Relevant Material Data Sheet (MSDS) – http://www.sciencelab.com/xMSDS-Carnauba_wax-9923319
Zymol- (http://www.zymol.com/carnauba.htm)
Swissvax - SWISSVAX - the ultimate car care products hand-made in Switzerland
Wikipedia - Carnauba wax - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Strahl & Pitsch - Carnauba Wax
Abstracts from articles related to Auto Appearance Chemicals – Dow Corning
The Chemistry and Technology of Waxes, by Albin H. Warth; Second Edition 1956

See also - Wax - An Article - Detail University - Auto Detailing Forum

© TOGWT ™ Ltd Copyright 2002-2008, all

[Bernard]

Thank you kindly.

[Jimmie]

Always appreciate your information. Thanks.

[wytstang]

Great info, thanks.

[Larry A]

You must of paid attention in school. At any rate thanks for the info. .

[ZoranC]

Thank you as always! Is there such a thing as compiled list of waxes out there with their claimed/actual content of white carnauba?

[TOGWT]

Thank you as always! Is there such a thing as compiled list of waxes out there with their claimed/actual content of white carnauba?

I've never seen one (nor am I volunteering) but it would be interesting to compare, as long as the claims made are based on a consistant measurment system (i.e. %by volume)

It seems to be even more popular now than ever, despite the inroads made by polymers; reminds me of what Oscar Wilde once said “The rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated”

PS- Thanks to all for the kind words, as always, I hope you find it informative

[ScottB]

I immediately thought the same thing too .... how can you measure when so many companies use different variables. There appears no true standard on carnauba content.