Specialized Industries & Wax Application

Here is a brief overview of the various specialized industrial uses of wax. For information on the specific IGI product suitable for your requirements, please reach out to us.

• Barrier Coating

Waxes and wax blends are used on surfaces to repel liquids (water, grease) and gases (oxygen)

• Batteries

Waxes are utilized in electric vehicle (EV) battery heat management systems for thermostat and heat sink devices as phase change materials.

• Beehive Coating

Waxes are used as coatings for beehives to protect wooden boards from moisture damage.

• Bottle Cap Liner

Waxes are used to coat and secure cap liners in plastic caps, creating a watertight seal to prevent leakage if the bottle is tipped over.

• Caulking Compound

Petroleum waxes improve processing and functionality in caulks and sealants.

• Chewing Gum Base

Food grade paraffin and microcrystalline waxes are often used in chewing gum bases to bind ingredients, modify rheology, and improve chewiness.

• Corrosion Inhibitor

Waxes are valuable in rust prevention due to their film-forming and water-repellent properties.

• Cheese Waxes

Food grade waxes are used to externally coat cheese to extend shelf life.

• Crayons

Paraffin waxes help bind pigments in crayons for pigment transfer.

• Dental Wax

Paraffin waxes and wax blends are essential in dentistry for modeling waxes and floss. Different types are used for specific dental applications requiring properties like plasticity, tensile strength, hardness, and adhesiveness.

• Drink Cups

Waxes and wax alternative coatings provide structural rigidity and reduce liquid penetration through the paper substrate.

• Duck Plucking

Waxes assist in the removal of feathers from poultry.

• Etching

Paraffin or crude scale waxes protect metals from acid etching with a removable covering.

• Fabric Finishing

Paraffin waxes and wax blends can be used on fabric to provide specific properties like drape, wrinkle resistance, and moisture resistance.

• Firelogs

Petroleum waxes, mainly slack waxes, bind wood particles, aid ignition, and enhance burn properties.

• Floor and Wood Furniture Polishes

Waxes improve gloss, grain, and buffing qualities of polishes for wood floors and furniture.

• Fruit and Vegetable Coatings

Waxes and wax emulsions are used on fruits like apples to extend storage life, improve appearance, and carry semiochemicals in fruit sprays. They are also applied on vegetables like rutabagas to prolong shelf life.

• Insulating Wax

Paraffin waxes are utilized in numerous electrical applications due to their superior insulating properties.

• Investment Casting

Paraffin and Microcrystalline waxes are binders in investment casting waxes, aiding in mold removal. These waxes provide dimensional stability crucial for precision metal castings in industries like aerospace, automotive, and jewelry.

• Leather Treating

Crude scale and paraffin waxes soften and impart water repellency to leather goods.

• Lumber End-Checking

Waxes and wax emulsions are used to reduce the checking or splitting of the ends of sawn lumber.

• Metal Coatings

Paraffin and crude scale waxes protect metal surfaces during production and shipping by providing lubrication and acting as a protective barrier against acid etching or moisture.

• Net Treatments (Aquaculture)

Waxes and wax emulsions, when combined with algaecides, help minimize algae growth on fish farm nets, ensuring optimal water flows and reducing cleaning frequency.

• Paint and Varnish Removers

Crude scale and paraffin waxes reduce the evaporation of solvents prolonging their efficiency.

• Physiotherapy

Low melt paraffin and crude scale waxes are used in physiotherapy for extended heat application to injuries, offering better mobility than water, covering the treated area, and included in home therapy kits.

• Road Marking Paint

Waxes function as fillers and binders in thermoplastic road marking paints and tapes.

• Rodenticides (Pest Control Products)

Paraffin and crude scale waxes are used as binding agents for the active ingredients in rodenticides.

• Shoe Polishes

Waxes enhance the gloss and buff characteristics of a polish or paste.

• Ski Wax

Paraffin waxes help skiers reach higher speeds by creating a smooth surface. The wax fills ski base gaps, but excess surface wax should be removed to prevent slowing down due to snow crystal adhesion.

• Textile Treatment

Petroleum waxes are vital in textile treatment, offering lubrication, waterproofing, and improving the final product’s appearance and performance. They are crucial in textile processing for sizing, finishing, waterproofing, printing, and polishing.

• Tissue Embedding (Histology Waxes)

Paraffin wax, a traditional histology medium, permeates tissue well, maintains transparency, and solidifies without harming tissue. Modern methods integrate wax with advanced digital imaging tools.

• Toilet Bowl Gaskets

Crude scale and microcrystalline waxes are formed into rings designed to seal the connection between the toilet base and the drain flange.

• Vine Grafting

Grafting is when two different plant sections are joined. To prevent drying out, grafting tape or wax can be used to cover the graft.