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The Making of Soybean Wax:
(This article is technical, but explains the process of making soybean wax. EcoLight Candles are made from 100% soybean wax.)
Soybean wax candles US Patent 6,599,334 Abstract “A solid fuel candle which is highly adapted for use both in a container and also as a free-standing candle includes at least 85 percent hydrogenated soybean oil, approximately 0 to 4 percent synthetic wax composition, approximately 0 to 4 percent of a second hydrogenated vegetable or petroleum oil, approximately 0 to 10 percent fragrance or scent, and approximately 0 to 3 percent dye. The hydrogenated vegetable oil most preferably has an iodine value of approximately 50 and a melting point of approximately 125 degrees Fahrenheit, with a free fatty acid content of less than one-tenth of one percent. The synthetic wax composition is most preferably formed from alpha olefin monomers and oligomers under free radical conditions at relatively low pressures to yield a highly branched polymer wax having congealing and melting points lower than the starting alpha olefin material and a higher molecular weight.” (..) “Recently, there have been several attempts to manufacture candles made from soybean oil. Soybean oil offers several attractive benefits including relatively large quantities of oil found therein, the use of a renewable resource produced through agriculture, elimination of paraffin, and elimination of associated soot. (..) “In 1996, a group of students from Purdue University developed an innovative soybean-oil-based candle which is composed of 83 percent hydrogenated soybean oil, 16 percent glycerol, about 1 percent coloring, and a touch of peppermint flavoring.” (..) ”In a first manifestation, the invention is a candle wax composition consisting essentially of at least 85 percent partially hydrogenated soybean oil having an iodine value of between 49 and 53 and a melting point of between 122 and 128 degrees Fahrenheit; 0 to 4 percent synthetic wax formed by polymerizing alpha olefins under free radical conditions to form a highly branched polymer; 0 to 4 percent secondary oil; 0 to 10 percent fragrance; and 0 to 3 percent dye.” Hydrogenating the vegetable liquid produces varying degrees of solidification or hardness. How the soybean oil is hydrogenated: “The most preferred vegetable oil which is suitable for use in the preferred embodiment is soybean oil, also referred to as soya oil in some references. The oil will typically be refined to remove undesirable impurities, bleached, and then hydrogenated. The process of hydrogenation may be carried out in a hydrogen environment, typically at elevated temperatures as from 400 to 700 degrees Fahrenheit, under pressure, in the presence of a hydrogen catalyst such as nickel. While other catalysts have been used to accomplish the hydrogenation and may be suitable in the practice of the present invention, nickel is most preferred. The hydrogen will preferably be mixed with the oil, either by mechanical agitation or through various jets or bubblers which effectively pass the hydrogen through the vegetable oil. As the oil is progressively hydrogenated, its properties are monitored for optimum values and characteristics. Among these are the iodine value, which in the preferred embodiment will be between approximately 49 and 53 with one embodiment having a preferred iodine value of 51, and the Mettler melting point, which will range between 122 and 128 degrees Fahrenheit. Preferably there will be less than 0.1 percent free fatty acids after hydrogenation. Once the hydrogenation is complete, the catalyst will be removed, the oil will be cleaned and purified, and the oil may again be bleached.” United States Patent and Trademark Office
Tong Wang is involved in the research of the composition of soywax in order to improve melting and solidification behavior. “Hydrogenated soybean oil is increasingly used as ‘wax’ (referred as soywax) to replace petroleum paraffin products in candle production. Soywax is renewable and releases less soot during burning.” “Replacing paraffin wax (a 2.3 billon pounds market in US) with soywax could have potentially immense economic benefits for Iowa soybean producers.
You may read the full 18 page research publication at the following URL provided by The Iowa Soybean Promotion Board http://www.iasoybeans.com/ispb/soycandles/cumbstion.pdf
The History of Candles:
Candles can be traced back as early as biblical times. For many years they were the main source of light for peoples' homes. Many early Greek and Roman candles were made of flax thread coated with wax and pitch, while in other countries candles were made of palm oil, coconut oil, beeswax and olive oil. In England bayberry wax was refined for use in making candles.
The earliest dipped candles were made of tallow. Not until the early 1800's was paraffin made to replace tallow as the main ingredient for candle making. Now 100 years later, we have soybean wax which is quickly becoming the wax of choice by candle makers due to the fact that they emit no toxins or smoke, and burn longer.
The soybean itself came from the orient and was introduced into the United States in the early 1800’s. It has been called a miracle crop because soybeans are used for food for people, as animal feed, and in non-food products such as our own line of soy candles! Today’s U.S. farmers produce about 2 billion bushels a year making the US the largest producer of soybeans in the world!
Electricity has replaced the candle as our main source of light, but the candle is still important today for its role in decoration on festive occasions, for the calm and sanctity it evokes in religious ceremonies, and for the general mood of warmth, relaxation, and even romance it creates in our homes.
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