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Information About

Wax





Wax has traditionally referred to a substance that is secreted by Bee s ( Beeswax ) and used by them in constructing their Honeycomb s.

It is an imprecisely defined term generally understood to be a substance with properties similar to Beeswax , namely


Waxes may be natural or artificial. In addition to Beeswax , Carnauba (a plant Epicuticular Wax ) and Paraffin (a petroleum wax) are commonly encountered waxes which occur naturally. '' Earwax '' is an oily substance found in the human Ear . Some artificial materials that exhibit similar properties are also described as wax or waxy.

Chemically, a wax may be an Ester of Ethylene Glycol (ethan-1,2-diol) and two Fatty Acid s, as opposed to a Fat which is an ester of Glycerin (propan-1,2,3-triol) and three fatty acids. It may also be a combination of other fatty alcohols with fatty acids. It is a type of Lipid .


WAX TYPES


Animal and insect waxes



Vegetable waxes



Mineral waxes



Petroleum waxes



Synthetic waxes



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