2,406,336 United States Patent Office
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Patented Aug. 27,’ 1946 2,406,336 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ‘ - V ‘ 12,406,336" ' ' WAXES taszIeA-uer, South Orange, J. No‘ Drawings ‘ ‘Application’ August 21, 1942, Serial No. 455,613 r0" claims. (CL 106-40) - I 2 FIELD or INVENTI‘ON J anon This invention relates to the modi?cation 0f the properties of Waxes. The invention is par a. Main constituents: ticularly concerned with treatment of organic 1’. Palm-itin ester-type waxes or waxlike materials, as dis 2. Palmitic acid tinguished from certain hydrocarbons which are b. Subordinate constituents: L Dibas-ic' acids sometimes termed waxes. For instance; while 2-. Soluble acids paraf?n, montan wax and cere‘sin,ua're= sometimes referred'to as waxes, they are not “true” waxes‘. Bayberry was: In contrast, the invention is concerned with- the 10 treatment of ester-type waxes such, for instance, as listed just below: , Beeswax Although some of the'f'oreg‘oing lis‘t'are o'f ani Inal and some of vegetable origin, I believe them, Carnauba wax 15 Spermaceti wax all to“ be‘ organic~ is'oc‘olloids, i. e., colloidal sub Candelilla wax stances‘ in‘ which; the dispersed phase and the Japan Wax ' dispersion‘ medium‘ are: both of the same chemical Bayberry (Myrtle)v Wax composition; though present in different physical states: ' v i These waxes are esters of long chain aliphatic 20 There‘ are» other wax ,or wax-like materials alcohols with long chain aliphatic fatty acids,‘ as which are‘ organic; isoco'l-loi'ds andwhich may be is indicated in the following listing of some of treated in accordance with the“ invention'jfor the major constituents of various oi the: waxes instance, synthetic wax-11x6- products containing above mentioned. either a natural wax alcohol or a natural wax Beeswax‘ : 25 acid or their homologues, derivatives and- substi a. Main constituents: t‘ution' products; ' ' 1. Cerotic acid The“ term‘ “ester-type waxes," as used‘ herein, 2. Myricyl palmitate is’ intended to ‘comprehend. not‘ only the natural b. Subordinate constituents: ester-type" waxes‘, but‘ also‘ synthetic products of I. Melissic acid 30 the type‘ in'entionedjust above; 1 2'. Myricyl' alcohol I‘ have found that bycispersing treating‘ or 3". Ceryl alcohol"v ' frfod'iiyihg'ag'ehts‘in tnevvaxes, changes may be c. 13%‘ hydrocarbon brought‘ about in" a number or different charac teristics‘ or properties, thereby rendering‘ the C'arnaubu- was‘ ' treated waxes better suite'd'to many purposes than . Carriaubic acid _ are'tne" same‘ untreated‘ wastes. The changes or . Ceryl, myricyl alcohols‘ nm'di?cations brought about‘ in accordance with . Other alcohols the present invention are apparently colloidal . A hydroxy acid and/or chemical in; nature, in many instances . A hydrocarbon 40 changes of both typesio‘ccurriiig' asra result of the treatment. For instance, a change inrtne relative Spermac‘eti wax? proportions of the dispersed phase andadispersion a. Main constituents: medium may be brought about. 1. Gem palmitate - Whatever may be the exact mechanism» by’ b. Subordinate constituents: 45. which the changes occur, I have found thatthe l. Glycerides of lauric, stea'ric, and myristic present invention may be utilized to bring about acids : changes in such physical characteristics as melt Cc‘mdelilla war" ing point, acid value, sa‘ponii’ication value, iodine value, solubility characteristics in various sol a. 56%unsaponi?able (hydrocarbon) 50 vents, and. physical consistency at various diii’er b; Remainder (ester) enttemperatures . 2,406,336 3 Modi?cation in certain respects noted above is Many of the compounds falling in certain‘ important for some purposes, and for other pur classes mentioned above are also of the type poses, modi?cation is desirable in other respects. which I have termed “two-radical” compounds, i. e., compounds having within the molecule an ‘Because of common uses of various waxes, for instance, in ?oor polish, furniture polish, shoe acidic inorganic residue and an organic residue. polish, and the like, it is frequently desirable to By an acidic inorganic residue I mean a residue employ a wax having a relatively high melting capable of yielding an inorganic acid upon the 3 point. Although the melting point need not nec addition of one or more hydrogen atoms, OH 1essarily be changed in all instances, it is of im groups, or water molecules, or upon the applica portance that the invention is well suited to the 10 tion of heat. ‘raising of the melting point of waxes, for in Such two radical type compounds may desir ably contain a sulpho-, halo..v or nitro-group, stance, of beeswax andrcertain others, which, in Typical examples of certain of the foregoing . their normal condition have a relatively low melt 1 ing point and therefore have not heretoforebeen' classi?cations are given just below: lconsidered as practicable to employ for certain Metal salts of inorganic acids: Sodium bisulphite ' ' I1 purposesstance, that in whichof carnauba a higher wax) melting is preferred. point (for in-v‘ v Sodium 'hydrosulphite ‘ The foregoing is cited as illustrative of the ‘ Sodium sulphite manner in which the present invention may be‘ I Ammonium iodide ‘ utilized to adapt certain waxes to uses for which 20v;v Magnesium chloride they are not well suited in their natural state. ‘ Zinc carbonate ‘In this way, in some instances the invention 7' _Lead chromate 3 makes possible the utilization of a less expensive ‘v Metal salts of organic acids: , wax to replace a more expensive one, without ap Sodium oxalate 7 preciable sacri?ce of quality of ?nished-product 25 G-salt (sodium beta hnaphthol-?, S-disulpho such, for instance, as ?oor or furniture polish. nate) In addition to some of the uses'already men Salts of organic amines: ‘ tioned, waxes are adaptable for many other pur Diphenylamine trichloracetate ‘ poses among which might be mentioned metal Inorganic acids: ' polishes, automobile body polishes, carbon paper Sulphuric acid i and typewriter ribbon impregnating compounds, Phosphoric acid' 1 dental waxes, sealing waxes and ski ‘waxes. A .Hydrochloric acid 1 wide variety of properties and characteristics are Organic acids: , ; desired for many of the several commercial uses _ Tartaric acid and the invention, in its broad aspect, hasin mind Maleic acid ' adapting various waxes to the several commercial Acetic acid ‘ uses, thereby better ?tting them for such pur Oxalic acid ‘ poses. Before ‘considering in, detail the nature'of the Salicylic acid process andthe treating agents employed, the Phthalic acid 40 Citric acid process is ?rst brie?y summarized as follows: Metal alcoholates: The ‘wax to be treated is preferably heated in Sodium amylate I the presence of the modifying agent for a sub stantial period of time and at a temperature con~ ‘ Amines: Benzidine base _ ‘ V siderably above normal room temperature, it be- ‘ ing of importance to secure thorough dispersion a-Naphthylamine ' V 'I‘wo-radical compounds: of the treating agent in the wax. Sulphosalicylic acid Moorr'vmc AGENTS Nitro-anthraquinone p-Toluene sulphochloride ' Modifying agents of 'quite'awide variety of 50' ' types may be employed. Many of such agents p-Toluene sulphonic acid are polar compounds, 1. e., compounds contain o-Nitrophenol ing a positive charge in one part of the molecule p-Nitrophenol and a negative charge in another part of the I have found certain“ groups of modifying molecule, or capable of orienting their different agents“ to be particularly effective in the treat; radicals in opposite directions on an interface of ment of waxes—for instance, metal salts; amines, liquid-gas, solid-gas, liquid-solid or liquid-liquid. particularly diprimary amines; and two radical VMany polar compounds which are electrolytes . type compounds, especially those. containing ‘ have been found to be useful. ‘ . sulpho- and nitro-grcups. ' The modifying agents may be classi?ed in vari Hereinafter examples are given of the treat ous Ways, for instance under the following ment of waxes with modifying agents selected headings-—- ’ ' . from various of the classes above discussed.’ Metal salts of inorganic acids TREATMENT CONDITIONS , Metal salts of organic acids Inorganic acids Although the treatment conditions‘ may be Organic acids varied in accordance with a number of factors such as the particular wax being treated, the . Metallo-organic compounds: treating agent selected and the characteristics Metal alcoholates _ desired, in general, the treatment conditions Aryl-metal compounds .70 should conform with the following: Organic salts of inorganic acids With respect to temperature, it is ?rst noted Inorganic salts of organic bases that while some modi?cation may be brought Organic esters ' about by dispersing the modifying agent in the Amines also constitute a useful class,‘ particu- '" ‘Y wax at normal room temperature, in general, the ‘ larly the, poly-amines, for instance, di-a’mines.‘ ' " treatment temperature should'be above the melt 2,406,336 5 6 ing point of the wax though not above the point and treating agent together. Obviously, however, at which any appreciable decomposition occurs. from the standpoint of the broader aspects‘ of the Usually it is found that a temperature between invention, the wax and the treating agent may about 100° C. and 310°’ C. is eifective; Increase be brought together in any desired manner. Agi-‘ in temperature is usually accompanied by more 5‘ tation may be useful for this purpose in some in rapid and/or more extensive modi?cation, al stances. though as just noted, the temperature is desir Beyond the foregoing, it is contemplated that ably kept below the point at which any decom the modifying agent may be produced in siti, position occurs. Particularly good results are se by introducing materials which will react under cured with many waxes at temperatures between 10 the conditions of treatment to produce the mod about 250° C. and 310° C.