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Thermophysical and optical characteristics of bee and plant waxes♣

K R. NIKOLOVA1,* , I. PANCHEV1, D. KOVACHEVA2, S. PASHOVA3

Affiliation

  1. Department of Physics, University of Food Technologies, 4002 Plovdiv, 26 Maritza Blvd., Bulgaria
  2. Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Bulgarian academy of Sciences, 1113, Sofia, Bulgaria
  3. Department of Commodity Science, University of Economics, 9002 Varna, Kniaz Boris I blvd. 77, Bulgaria

Abstract

Sunflower and beeswaxes, as well as waxes obtained from Prunus cerasifera and Prunus domestica are considered. Data on the chemical composition and physical characteristics of the waxes were obtained by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), infrared spectroscopy (IR spectroscopy) and X-ray structural analysis. DSC allows one to determine the melting and crystallization points, as well as the enthalpy for each of the separate processes, while IR spectroscopy and X-ray structural analysis gave information on the structure and the degree of crystallinity of each of the wax materials. DSC findings showed that Prunus domestica and beeswaxes had the highest enthalpy when heated, viz. 205.76 J/g and 206.94 J/g, respectively, while sunflower wax showed the lowest enthalpy (24.14 J/g). Using X-ray diffraction analysis, it was found that beeswax had the highest degree of crystallinity, while the amorphous structure was predominant in the soft plant waxes. The prevailing component in the hard waxes was М-paraffin, while in the soft waxes it was glycerol fluorate. The experimental results obtained can be used in determining the purity of waxes, in view of their use in the surface coatings of food products..

Keywords

Bee and plant waxes, Differential scanning calorimetry, IR spectroscopy, X- ray structural analysis.

Submitted at: Nov. 5, 2008
Accepted at: Sept. 9, 2009

Citation

K R. NIKOLOVA, I. PANCHEV, D. KOVACHEVA, S. PASHOVA, Thermophysical and optical characteristics of bee and plant waxes♣, Journal of Optoelectronics and Advanced Materials Vol. 11, Iss. 9, pp. 1210-1213 (2009)