Description
A petroleum-derived wax with finer crystal structure than paraffin wax, supporting greater flexibility, higher melting point, and superior film-forming behavior. Food-grade and pharmaceutical-grade material is purified to USP/NF and EP specifications.
White to amber wax pellet, slab, or block. Melting range approximately 60 to 95 °C depending on grade. Flexible and pliable in the lower-melting grades, harder and more brittle in the higher-melting grades.
We supply Food-Grade and Pharmaceutical-Grade Microcrystalline Wax from manufacturers in China holding ISO, Halal, Kosher and other certifications relevant to the product and production.
Common market grades include USP/NF Pharmaceutical Grade for tablet coating and topical preparations, Food-Grade for chewing gum base and food contact, Cosmetic-Grade for stick formulations, and Industrial-Grade for non-food applications.
Bulk and reduced-MOQ shipments. Batch-level COA covering melting point, penetration, oil content, color, and PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon) limits.
Introduction
Microcrystalline wax is a high-molecular-weight petroleum wax distinct from paraffin in crystal structure. Where paraffin forms large plate-like crystals, microcrystalline wax forms small needle-like crystals that give the material greater flexibility, higher tensile strength, and a higher melting point.
Production is by deoiling and refining of petroleum residual oil. The wax fraction is separated by solvent dewaxing, hydrotreated to remove sulfur and other impurities, and standardized to a defined melting point, penetration, and oil content. Food-grade and pharmaceutical-grade material undergoes additional purification to meet pharmacopoeial PAH limits.
Regulated as a food additive under 21 CFR 175 and 176 in the United States for food-contact and indirect food additive use, listed in USP, NF, and EP pharmacopoeias as Microcrystalline Wax, and recognized in the EU for defined applications.
The chewing-gum base application is the largest food market for microcrystalline wax: the flexibility and chew-resistance properties of the wax are essential to modern gum manufacture, and no other commercial wax delivers the same combination of properties at comparable cost.
Where it is used
- Chewing gum base; the foundational wax for modern gum manufacture
- Cosmetic stick formulations including lipsticks and mascaras; provides flexibility and gloss
- Pharmaceutical tablet coating and topical ointment bases
- Food-contact packaging coatings and food paper waxing
- Cheese rind coating and food preservation
- Adhesives and hot-melt formulations
- Candle manufacture, particularly for flexible and decorative candles
- Industrial release agents and corrosion preventives
Technical data
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | White to amber wax pellet, slab, or block |
| Melting point | 60 °C to 95 °C per grade |
| Penetration (25 °C, 100 g, 5 s) | 5 to 60 dmm per grade |
| Oil content | ≤ 3.5% |
| Color (Saybolt) | +25 to +30 |
| Acid number | ≤ 0.1 |
| PAH (UV absorbance at 290 nm) | Per pharmacopoeial limit |
| Heavy metals (as Pb) | ≤ 1 mg/kg |
| Sulfur | ≤ 0.4% |
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