Sustainable Waxes for Today

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Sustainable Waxes for Todays Candles
Overcoming the Challenges of Polymorphism

• Scott A. Walters
• Principal Scientist Product Development
  Applications
• ELEVANCE RENEWABLE SCIENCES
• National Candle Association
• Candles to Light Our Future Technical
  Presentations
• April 17, 2008

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ELEVANCE RENEWABLE SCIENCES

• Renewable
• A material that can be quickly re-grown or
  replenished after harvest or use so that the
  resource is not depleted.
• Sustainability
• The ability to use a resource without depleting
  or permanently damaging it.
• Meeting the needs of the present without
  compromising the ability of future generations to
  meet their own needs.
• ERS renewable/sustainable materials are focused
  on triglycerides from plant sources - e.g.,
  soybean, canola, corn and sunflower oils

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PolymorphismSome Basic Terminology

• A crystal is generally a solid in which the atoms
  or molecules are packed in a regularly ordered,
  repeating pattern extending in all three spatial
  dimensions.
• Polymorphism is the occurrence of several
  different crystal forms for a same compound
• Fat Bloom is the appearance of rough and/or white
  crystals appearing on the surface.

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Fat Bloom

• Fat Bloom is the uncontrolled recyrstallization
  triglycerides into an undersireable
  crystal form.
• Melting and migration of triglycerides can occur
  during
• Triglyceride migration is accompanied by a change
  in crystal Structure

After burning
Manufacturing - On the surface after the candle
cools
Storage - Over time on the shelf
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Triglycerides Building Block of Vegetable Waxes

• Vegetable Wax is a modified and/or hydrogenated
  triglyceride (fat or oil)

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Triglycerides Building Block of Vegetable Waxes

• Carbon chains contain 12 to 18 Carbons
• Composition (the chain lengths and distributions)
  are specific to the triglyceride used

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Characteristics of Triglyceride CrystalThermal

• Beta Prime

• Alpha

Beta

• Most stable
• Highest melting point
• Very slow cooling
• Transformation of Beta Prime

• Unstable
• Intermediate melting point
• Slow cooling
• Transformation of Alpha form

• Most unstable
• Lowest melting point
• Rapid cooling

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Characteristics of Triglyceride Crystal

• Alpha

• Beta Prime

Beta
Triclinic
Orthorhombic
Hexagonal
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Characteristics of Triglyceride Crystal
68º-70º
90º
59º
Orthorhombic
Triclinic
Hexagonal
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Characteristics of Triglyceride Crystal
Beta Prime
Beta
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Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC)Thermal
Fingerprint

• DSC measures the thermal transitions of a
  material
• How it works
• Heat (Energy) is applied to a substance to raise
  the temperature at a specific rate e.g. 10ºC/10
  minutes.
• Measure the amount of energy applied to the
  material versus the temperature of the material
  heat capacity
• As the substance is heated, the molecules change
  into different orientations
• Extra energy may be required to move the
  molecules into a certain orientation -
  Endothermic
• Energy may also be released as the molecules
  attain a certain orientation - Exothermic
• Each material has its own fingerprint

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Thermal Transitions Heating and Cooling of Wax
Glass Transition Temperature
Crystallization Temperature (s)
Temperature of Melting
Temperature
Tc Crystallization temperature - Temperature
when a part of whole of material perhaps changes
from liquid (into crystal state. Heat of
crystallization -  Calories (Energy) discharged
when a material perhaps changes from liquid into
crystal condition Tm Temperature of Melting
Temperature at which crystalline structure
disappears by heating material, phase change from
solid to liquid
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Options to Overcome Polymorphism

• Manufacturing Options
• Optimal Cooling
• Votation
• Candle Wax Composition
• Blending/Formulated Products
• New Product Development

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Controlling Temperatures
Proper Cool Proper Pour Temperature Proper Environmental Temperature Sufficient Fan Cooling Too Fast Cold Environmental Temperature (winter) Excessive Fan Cooling Too Slow Poured too Hot Hot Environmental Temperature (summer) Insufficient Fan Cooling

Pour Temperature
Temperature
Congeal Point
Time
Ambient Temperature
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Optimal Cooling
Different candle wax blends and formulas may have
different thermal properties
Fan Cooled
Room Temperature (75ºF)
High Temp (85ºF-90ºF)
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Votation

• Molten wax is cooled through a scraped-surface
  heat exchanger or Votator where it becomes a
  flowable crystal slurry
• Passing wax through a scraped-surface heat
  exchanger rapidly lowers the waxes temperature
  and encourages the fat to crystallize into the
  desired crystal form.
• Votation
• Controls polymorph type  
• Reduces shrinkage in the jar 
• Increases line throughput (by removing heat from
  the bulk wax before it gets added to the jar)

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Blending/Formulated Products

• Change the triglyceride profile
• Different Chain Lengths
• Different degrees of hydrogenation/saturation
• Add materials to decrease the degree of
  crystallinity
• Add materials to disrupt crystal formation
• The addition of petroleum based materials
  paraffin, petrolatum, or microcrystalline
• Levels as small as 10 may disrupt crystal
  formation of vegetable blends to produce quality
  candles

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Blending/Formulated ProductsParaffin and Soy do
Play Nice Together
Room Temperature (75ºF)
100
90/10
70/30
100
90/10
70/30
Fan Cooled
100
90/10
70/30
100
90/10
70/30
High Temp (85ºF-90ºF)
100
90/10
70/30
100
90/10
70/30
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New Product Development

• Modify/react vegetable feedstocks to produce
  waxes with more stable crystal structure(s)

NatureWax P-3
NatureWax S-155
MAGIC
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Working with Sustainable WaxesOvercoming
Polymorphism - Summary

• The interest in sustainable/renewable waxes and
  other materials for Candles is growing
• Fat Bloom is a result of recrystallization of
  triglyceride(s) into an undesirable crystal form
• To minimize/eliminate Fat Bloom
• Understand and manufacturer under conditions that
  promote the proper cooling profile of the candle
  wax
• Utilize manufacturing procedures that optimize
  and stabilize the desired crystal structure of
  the candle wax

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Working with Sustainable Waxes Overcoming
Polymorphism - Summary

• To minimize/eliminate Fat Bloom
• Blend materials such as paraffin to modify or
  disrupt the crystal structure of the candle wax
• Utilize new candle waxes and formulated products
  that do not form undesirable crystal structure
• ERS is accelerating the development of new,
  unique, high performing, renewable/sustainable
  candle waxes, formulated products and additives.