Nomenclature
CAS number: 8015-86-9
Brazil wax.
Description and references
An exudate from the pores of the leaves of
the Brazilian wax palm tree Copernicia prunifera (Muell.)
H. E. Moore [Copernicia cerifera (Arruda da Camara) Mart.], Palmae. The botany of the tree and the native wax-collecting
procedures are described adequately by A. H. Warth, The Chemistry and Technology of Waxes (Reinhold,
New York, 1947). The hardness and high-polish capability of this
important wax can be ascribed to the presence of esters of hydroxylated
unsaturated fatty acids having about 12 carbon atoms in the acid chain.
The usual names for the constituents, i.e. cerotic acid,
melissyl cerotate, carnaubic acid etc., are meaningless. Brief review:
C. S. Letcher in Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia
of Chemical Technology vol. 24 (Wiley-Interscience,
New York, 3rd ed., 1984) pp 469-470.
Properties
Hard greenish solid, cryst fracture. Sharp, characteristic,
not unpleasant odor upon melting. mp 82-85.5°. d 0.990 to 0.999. Saponification number 78 to 89. Iodine
number about 13. nD90 1.4500. Sparingly soluble in
fat solvents at 25°, quite sol at 45°.Use
Wherever a hard, high-polish wax is desired,
e.g. in automobile waxes, floor wax emulsions, high quality
shoe polishes, in the paper industry (especially for making carbon
papers). As a plasticizer in dental impression compounds. To raise
the melting point of other waxes; often used together with candelilla
wax. The presence of the lower-melting ouricury wax is considered
as an adulteration. Purified and bleached carnauba wax is used for
cosmetic materials, such as depilatories and deodorant sticks. In
pharmacy as the last stage in tablet coating. Skin sensitization
or irritation by carnauba wax seems infrequent.