Wax is a generic term for a range of natural or synthetic products. For convenience the range can be subdivided:

• Natural waxes
• Synthetic waxes
• Mineral hydrocarbon waxes
• Petroleum waxes

Waxes are usually defined by their characteristic properties (see also International Customs Tariff, Harmonized System HS 3404):

• solid at 20° C, varying in consistency from soft and plastic to brittle and hard
• as solids as coarse to finely crystalline, transparent to opaque, but not glass-like
• have relatively low viscosity slightly above the melting point
• melt above ca. 40° C without decomposition
• consistency and solubility are highly temperature dependant
• buffable under slight pressure
• burn with yellow flame
• can form pastes or gels when dispersed in solvents
• exhibit low thermal and electrical conductivity

Natural (non fossil) Waxes

The natural wax can be of vegetable or animal origin.

The predominant wax of animal origin is beeswax (E 901). The most important representatives of vegetable origin are: 

• carnaœba (E 903)
• candelilla (E 902)

Mineral Hydrocarbon Waxes

• Montan Wax - derived by solvent extraction of lignite
• Ozo Kerite

Petroleum Waxes

Petroleum waxes are hydrocarbons derived from petroleum. There are four main types: 

• slack wax - unextracted wax derived from dewaxing base distillate lub oil streams
• paraffin - deoiled slack wax consisting predominantly of straight chain alkanes
• microcrystalline (E 905) - branched and cyclic alkanes from deoiling residual bright stock lube oil stream
• petrolatum - bright stock deoiled residual lube oil or blends of oils and waxes - petroleum jellies

Synthetic Waxes 

• polyolefin waxes
• Fischer-Tropsch wax