8015-86-9

Basic information

• Product Name: Carnauba wax
• Synonyms: WAX, CARNAUBA;carnuba;carnubawax;CARNAUBA;CARNAUBA WAX;CARNAUBA WAX, NO 1, YELLOW;CARNAUBA WAX, REFINED, NO 1, YELLOW;CARNAUBA WAX YELLOW
• CAS NO: 8015-86-9
• Molecular Weight: 0
• EINECS: 232-399-4
• Product Categories: Cosmetic Ingredients & Chemicals
• Mol File: 8015-86-9.mol
• Article Data: 0

Chemical Properties

• Melting Point: 81-86 °C
• Appearance: Yellow/Powder or Flakes
• Density: 0.990-0.999
• Refractive Index: 1.4500
• Storage Temp.: -20°C Freezer
• Solubility: Practically insoluble in water, soluble on heating in ethyl acetate and in xylene, practically insoluble in alcohol.
• Water Solubility: Soluble in diethyl ether, alkali, chloroform. Slightly soluble in boiling ethanol. Insoluble in water.
• Stability: Stable. Incompatible with strong oxidizing agents.
• Merck: 14,1846
• CAS DataBase Reference: Carnauba wax(CAS DataBase Reference)
• NIST Chemistry Reference: Carnauba wax(8015-86-9)
• EPA Substance Registry System: Carnauba wax(8015-86-9)

Safety Data

• Safety Statements: 24/25
• WGK Germany: 3
• TSCA: Yes
• Hazardous Substances Data: 8015-86-9(Hazardous Substances Data)

Usage

Description

Carnauba wax, also known as Brazil wax or palm wax, is a hard, high-polish wax obtained from the leaves and leaf buds of the Brazilian wax palm, Copernicia cerifera. It has the highest melting point among natural plant waxes and is known for its high hardness and brittleness. Carnauba wax is used in a variety of applications due to its unique properties, including its high melting point, high hardness, and low tendency to cause allergic reactions.

Uses

Used in Automobile Industry:
Carnauba wax is used as a hard, high-polish wax for automobile waxes, providing a durable and shiny finish to car surfaces.
Used in Floor Wax Industry:
Carnauba wax is used in floor wax emulsions, offering a high-polish and durable finish for flooring.
Used in Shoe Polish Industry:
Carnauba wax is used in high-quality shoe polishes, providing a hard, high-polish finish to shoes.
Used in Paper Industry:
Carnauba wax is used in the paper industry, especially for making carbon papers, due to its high hardness and durability.
Used in Dental Industry:
Carnauba wax is used as a plasticizer in dental impression compounds, providing a firm and stable impression for dental applications.
Used in Cosmetic Industry:
Carnauba wax is used to firm and texturize cosmetic preparations, giving them a less fluid consistency and forming a protective layer on the skin's surface. It is also used in depilatories and deodorant sticks.
Used in Pharmaceutical Industry:
Carnauba wax is used in the final stage of tablet coating in the pharmaceutical industry, providing a smooth and polished finish to tablets.
Used in Food Industry:
Carnauba wax is a general-purpose food additive, used in candy glazes due to its hard and brittle properties.
Overall, Carnauba wax is a versatile and valuable natural resource with a wide range of applications in various industries, from automotive and floor waxes to cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Its unique properties, such as high hardness, high melting point, and low allergenicity, make it an ideal choice for many applications where a hard, high-polish wax is desired.

Production Methods

Carnauba wax is obtained from the leaf buds and leaves of the Brazilian carnauba palm, Copernicia cerifera. The leaves are dried and shredded, and the wax is then removed by the addition of hot water.

Air & Water Reactions

Insoluble in water.

Reactivity Profile

Carnauba wax react with acids to liberate heat. Heat is also generated by interaction with caustic solutions. Strong oxidizing acids may cause a vigorous reaction that is sufficiently exothermic to ignite the reaction products. Flammable hydrogen is generated by mixing with alkali metals and hydrides.

Health Hazard

Hot wax can burn skin and eyes.

Pharmaceutical Applications

Carnauba wax is widely used in cosmetics, certain foods, and pharmaceutical formulations. Cosmetically, carnauba wax is commonly used in lip balms. Carnauba wax is the hardest and highest-melting of the waxes commonly used in pharmaceutical formulations and is used primarily as a 10% w/v aqueous emulsion to polish sugar-coated tablets. Aqueous emulsions may be prepared by mixing carnauba wax with an ethanolamine compound and oleic acid. The carnauba wax coating produces tablets of good luster without rubbing. Carnauba wax may also be used in powder form to polish sugarcoated tablets. Carnauba wax (10–50% w/w) is also used alone or with other excipients such as hypromellose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, alginate/ pectin-gelatin, Eudragit, and stearyl alcohol to produce sustainedrelease solid-dosage formulations. Carnauba wax has been experimentally investigated for use in producing microparticles in a novel hot air coating (HAC) process developed as an alternative to conventional spray-congealing techniques.(11) In addition, carnauba wax has been used to produce gel beads for intragastric floating drug delivery and has been investigated for use in nanoparticulate sunscreen formulations.

Safety

Carnauba wax is widely used in oral pharmaceutical formulations, cosmetics, and certain food products. It is generally regarded as an essentially nontoxic and nonirritant material. However, there have been reports of allergic contact dermatitis from carnauba wax in mascara. The WHO has established an acceptable daily intake of up to 7 mg/kg body-weight for carnauba wax.

storage

Carnauba wax is stable and should be stored in a well-closed container, in a cool, dry place.