SHOE POLISH Shoe polish (or boot polish), usually a waxy paste or a cream, is a consumer product used to polish, shine, waterproof, and restore the appearance of leather shoes or boots, thereby extending the footwear's life.
Shoe polish is a product used to shine, polish, and protect leather footwear. Polishing shoes will increase their life span, and lead to a more attractive appearance. Whether inexpensive or high end, all leather shoes require a good polishing to prolong their lives and keep them looking new. Shoe polish comes in two forms: wax and paste or cream. Wax polish provides the best shine while paste or cream act as moisturizers, maintaining flexibility in the leather.
Making: Various substances have been used as shoe polish for hundreds of years, starting with natural substances such as wax and tallow. Modern polish formulas were introduced early in the 20th century and many of those original formulations are still in use today. Today, shoe polish is usually made from a mix of natural and synthetic materials, including naphtha, turpentine, dyes, and gum arabic, using straightforward chemical engineering processes.
Properties: Shoe polish is usually Flammable, Can be toxic, and, If misused, can stain skin.
It should be used in a well-ventilated area with care taken to protect clothes, carpet and furniture. The popularity of shoe polish paralleled a general rise in leather and synthetic shoe production, beginning in the 19th century and continuing into the 20th. The World Wars saw a surge in demand for the product, in order to polish army boots.
Paraffin Wax: Paraffin is a common name for a group of alkane hydrocarbons with the general formula CnH2n+2, where n is the number of carbon atoms. The simplest paraffin molecule is that of methane, CH4, a gas at room temperature. Heavier members the series, such as that of octane C8H18, appear as liquids at room temperature. The solid forms of paraffin, called paraffin wax, are from the heaviest molecules. Paraffin wax was identified by Carl Reichenbach in 1830.
Candle wax (or paraffin) is actually a mixture of high molecular weight hydrocarbons with the general formula of an alkane, CnH2n+2. The value of n can range from about 20 to 40. Often C30H62 is taken to be the molecular formula. Clearly, we can write an empirical formula which has smaller subscripts: C15H31.
Properties: Paraffin wax is mostly found as a White, Odorless, Tasteless, waxy solid, Having melting point between about 46 and 68 °C (115 and 154 °F), Having a density of around 0.9 g/cm3. It is insoluble in water, but soluble in ether, benzene, and certain esters. Paraffin is unaffected by most common chemical reagents but burns readily. Pure paraffin wax is an excellent electrical insulator,
Wax expands considerably when it melts and this allows its use in thermostats for industrial, domestic and, particularly, automobile purposes.
Uses: •
Candle-making
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Coatings for waxed paper or cloth
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Food-grade paraffin wax.
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Shiny coating used in candy-making; although edible, it is nondigestible, passing right through the body without being broken down
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Coating for many kinds of hard cheese, like Edam cheese
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Sealant for jars, cans, and bottles
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Chewing gum additive
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Anti-caking agent, moisture repellent, and dustbinding coatings for fertilizers
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Bullet lubricant – with other ingredients, such as olive oil and beeswax
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Friction-reducer, for use on handrails and cement ledges, commonly used in skateboarding
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Used as the basis for solid ink different color blocks of wax for thermal printers. The wax is melted and then sprayed on the paper producing images with a shiny surface
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Antiozonant agents: blends of paraffin and micro waxes are used in rubber compounds to prevent cracking of the rubber; the admixture of wax migrates to the surface of the product and forms a protective layer. The layer can also act as a release agent, helping the product separate from its mould.
Beeswax: Beeswax is a natural wax produced in the bee hive of honey bees o. It is mainly esters of fatty acids and various long chain alcohols. Typically, for a honey bee keeper, 10 pounds of honey yields 1 pound of wax.
Physical Properties: Beeswax is a tough wax formed from a mixture of several compounds. •
Wax Content Type Percent
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Hydrocarbons
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Monoesters 35%
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Diesters
14%
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Triesters
3%
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Hydroxy monoesters 4%
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Hydroxy polyesters 8%
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Acid esters
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Acid polyesters
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Free acids
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Free alcohols
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Unidentified 6%
14%
1% 2%
12% 1%
An approximate chemical formula for beeswax is C15H31COOC30H61. Beeswax has a high melting point range, of 62 to 64 °C (144 to 147 °F). If beeswax is heated above 85 °C (185 °F) discoloration occurs. The flash point of beeswax is 204.4 °C (399.9 °F).[6] Density at 15 °C is 958 to 970 kg/m³.
Uses: Beeswax is mainly used to make honeycomb foundation for reuse by the bees. Purified and bleached beeswax is used in the production of food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals: As a coating for cheese, to protect the food as it ages. As a food additive, it is known as E901 (glazing agent). As a skin care product, a German study found beeswax to be superior to similar "barrier creams" (usually mineral oil based creams, such as petroleum jelly), when used according to its protocol. Beeswax is an ingredient in surgical bone wax. Beeswax is used commercially to make fine candles. As a component of shoe polish As a component of furniture polish, dissolved in turpentine. Used to make Cutler's resin. Formerly used in the manufacturing of the cylinders used by the earliest phonographs.
REFERENCES: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoe_polish http://frugalliving.about.com/od/beautyhealthcare/qt/Shoe_Polish.htm http://paraffin-wax.net/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paraffin http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beeswax http://www.naturalcosmeticsupplies.com/bees-wax.html http://www.beeswaxmagazine.com/ http://eberthoney.com/Beeswax.html Http:// search.yahoo.com
