Can you change Beeswax colour with cleaning and filitering

[veebeezuk]

OK Reiner ... I like this a lot more. Citric acid is relatively safe to use ... it might be worth considering Oxalic acid in place of the Citric as it is still 'safe' as far as acids go (I use it for killing rust and removing rust stains) so it may prove to be even more effective - particularly as Oxalic is excellent for rendering Iron Oxides into Oxalates which are white and fairly harmless when subjected to heat. I'm not so sure about any sulphate residues being left in candle wax after using sulphuric acid.

Nice one ... worth translating, thank you. Bit of experimentatio needed by someone now ? Anyone got any dark coloured wax ???

Thank you all so much for your input on this subject. After reading through the comments i have checked my cupboard for the required ingredients for the test and came across citric acid. Im going to test today as suggested by the last post by reiner. I will post my results and methods later today.

Thanks all!

 

[oliver90owner]

Likely a good whisking when at, or near, boiling point (beware of hot splashing wax!) will shorten the reaction time by improving contact (surface area). Citric acid is 'cheep cheep' if bought by the kilogram or more. Another expensive source might be a brew shop. My last kg cost £4 ex VAT.

 

[user 6228]

...
Further trials showed that the degree of purity as well as wax colour are influenced by the duration of the boiling process.
...
.

Another Thing about the above process, I read that it was important to keep the cooling/crystallization of the wax as slow as possible, to ensure the impurities migrated into the water and they and the water were not trapped in the wax.

Seems logical, havent tried that.

 

[oliver90owner]

Seems logical

Doesn't to me. The ionic salts will be soluble in the aqueous phase and water and wax are immiscible. Time of boil will equate to increased reaction rate and contact time at the aqueous/wax surfaces. If there are high concentrations of occluded mineral compounds in the wax a larger ratio of aqueous phase to wax would be beneficial. Simple chemical extraction going on here - conversion to ionic salts with absorption from the organic phase to the aqueous phase.

RAB

 

[Little John]

Another Thing about the above process, I read that it was important to keep the cooling/crystallization of the wax as slow as possible, to ensure the impurities migrated into the water and they and the water were not trapped in the wax.

Seems logical, havent tried that.

That's almost correct. Despite what you might have just read regarding theoretical chemistry, in the real world there is not only wax and water, but emulsions of the two can often be created. I say 'emulsions' rather than emulsion (singular) as they are of two different types with two different sources of natural emulsifiers.

Without going into further detail - but will if pressed to do so - it is advisable to use soft water if possible when purifying wax, or at least water which has been passed through a domestic water-filter. Also the use of stainless steel equipment is advised.

In the event of emulsions being formed, it is indeed advised to let the wax remain in the water bath for an extended period at around 75-80°C, in order to allow the emulsion to be destroyed, and the impurities held within it to remain behind in the water.

LJ

 

[user 6228]

That's almost correct. Despite what you might have just read regarding theoretical chemistry, in the real world there is not only wax and water, but emulsions of the two can often be created. I say 'emulsions' rather than emulsion (singular) as they are of two different types with two different sources of natural emulsifiers.

Without going into further detail - but will if pressed to do so - it is advisable to use soft water if possible when purifying wax, or at least water which has been passed through a domestic water-filter. Also the use of stainless steel equipment is advised.

In the event of emulsions being formed, it is indeed advised to let the wax remain in the water bath for an extended period at around 75-80°C, in order to allow the emulsion to be destroyed, and the impurities held within it to remain behind in the water.

LJ

found this
http://www.bee-hexagon.net/files/file/fileE/Wax/WaxBook2.pdf

 

[pargyle]

found this
http://www.bee-hexagon.net/files/file/fileE/Wax/WaxBook2.pdf

It's a good read and as I suspected Oxalic acid is suggested as a viable alternative to citric ... if the photos are to be believed it does a good job as a well.

 

[blackcavebees]

Don't jump on me guys ....

I always thought that the more times you re melted / cooled wax the darker it got. Filtering again and again gives a net reduction in colour due to removal of impurities but melt/cool/remelt cycle does darken it. However, this doesn't seem to be the case in a solar wax extractor, in fact it seems to go lighter. (and Rab did say about ultraviolet back towards beginning of thread)
Maybe not much help now at this time of year though. Might have a go at the citric acid ...

 

[user 6228]

Have also read hydrogen peroxide being used