Normaly when am at a company or doing my routine house calls there’s customers that ask to get a coat of wax on there vehicle because they see scratches or because they see swirl marks or just because they want there car protected. there’s a really big misconseption on what wax was invented for and what it really is made to do. Now i worked at a car wash place for 3 years and i own a little electronic store next to a car wash. and i see them waxing cars at least 10 times a day in the middle of the lot were the sun is hitting at about 90 degrees. and we all know that it totals to twice the amount on the surface of a vehicle. so i gathered some info from different websites and came up with a brief discription. Remember that you must prepare( clay bar) a vehicle before doing any type of waxing, polishing, or sealants. I have also wrote in bold the most important parts about waxing.
Wax: The word “wax” usually refers to a variety of organic substances that are solid at ambient temperature but become somewhat free-flowing liquids at slightly higher temperatures. The chemical composition of waxes is complex, but normal alkenes are always present in high proportion, and Covalent (molecular) weight profiles tend to be very varied.
The main commercial source of wax is crude petroleum, but not all crude oil refiners produce wax. Mineral wax can also be produced from lignite, plants, animals and even insects produce materials sold in commerce as wax. There is normally no more than 15% to 20% natural wax content in retail car care wax, some products also contain a high percentage of Diatomaceous earth, this helps to provide shine by its sleight abrading ability and is evidenced by the large amount of powder residue left on the car when the wax product carrier system evaporates.
Most car care product chemists agree that when it comes to a wax formulation there is no advantage between pastes, creams or liquids. It has more to do with production cost and marketing than; ease of application or removal, its protection or surface gloss abilities. The only ingredients that will make a difference is wax quality and percentage content, and its carrier system (i.e. type of solvent / silicone and / or mineral oils used)
Paste wax is just a thicker form of liquid wax, a different consistency, not necessarily even more or less solvents. All natural waxes require a solvent to soften them (in there natural state they are as hard as concrete and are sold as a solid block or as flakes) Some wax products use an emulsion (oil-in water) to keep more liquid without adding more solvent, which in high concentrations could affect durability as it dilutes the wax content.
Carnauba (Brasil) wax molecules are closed linked, which means that they only but up together to protect the surface, they sacrifice paint depth for increased durability. The open linked Polymer molecules form together to create a chain like effect. Polymer sealants also have greater life expediency than a carnauba wax.
Percentage of wax content- most carnaubas advertised with 50% or more Carnauba wax content is truly advertising a weight, not a volume. 30% by volume is about 50% by weight is about the maximum content (approx 35% Carnauba by volume makes it almost impossible to add/remove) that’s why you never can truly assess the amount of Carnauba in a manufactured wax unless the manufacturer specifically lists its content percentage by weight or volume. When making a comparison ensure you compare like with like i.e. % volume or % weight. The balance will be ; solvent, polymer, silicone, montan or mineral oils, beeswax, synthetics or other waxes
Fracture/evaporation temperatures - Polymers 350 oF, Silicone oil 350 oF, Mineral oils 200 oF, Synthetic blends (Carnauba wax / polymers) 200 oF, Carnauba wax 180 oF, and Bee’s wax 130 oF. In actual practice the high temperatures frequently encountered by vehicles from the radiation causes wax compounds to melt, for example, a painted surfaces exposed to ambient temperatures of 85 oF in direct sunlight, will obtain a temperature of 195 oF or more. It should be noted that there is a range of temperatures at which melting begins and that the ‘melting point’ is the end point of that range.
Application – Most Carnauba waxes work well using the WOWO (wipe on wipe off) method while still slightly damp but not completely dry. Generally apply a very thin layer, preferably with a distilled water primed foam applicator (hand or machine); allowing it to haze, then wiping off.
§ Wax set –up time is temperature / humidity dependant; humidity affects the application because Carnauba is inherently hygroscopic (absorbs moisture) if you notice dark streaks during the application of Carnauba waxes, it tells you that the humidity is high. This will also retard the set-up time.
§ As a wax ‘sets-up’, it goes through a number of stages.
1.The first stage is the application of the semi-liquid product; friction will cleanse the dirt, oxidization, old waxes etc. In effect you are lifting the dirt away from the paintwork and into the liquid wax and then into the applicator.
2.The next stage is that you leave the wax to haze. This is where the solvents and oils out gas (evaporate) and leave the resin and fillers behind to dry and set-up on the paint.
3.Next you remove the excess. Anything that is now not bonded to the paint will be wiped away with the buffing towel and as you wipe away you will end up giving the resin a slight buff to bring out its gloss
I would suggest you do a swipe-test (swipe the surface with your finger, if the wax is still liquid wait for a while and repeat) A good technique is to buff the wax and then spritz the paintwork with cold distilled water and wipe down just to add that little extra. Humidity affects the application because Carnauba is inherently hygroscopic (absorbs moisture) if you notice dark streaks during the application of Carnauba waxes, it tells you that the humidity is high. This will also retard the set-up time.
Carnauba wax will bond to a cross-linked polymer; conversely if a polymer is applied on top of a Carnauba wax it is unable to form a bond due to the waxes oil content. Generally you can expect 50% of your Carnauba wax layer to be gone after 30 days, 75% after 60 days and 95% gone after 90 days. You should plan on waxing your car four (4) times a year. You can extend the waxes life expectancy by parking in a garage, using a car cover and by using a quick detailer spray (QD) like Pinnacle Crystal Mist.
Storage- a refrigerator will provide a cooler temperatures and more constant humidity that will slow the evaporation of solvents from the wax, thus keeping the wax softer and easier to use over a longer period of time.
Beeswax has been traded for over 2000 years; references to “wax” before the 19th century typically meant beeswax. Yellow beeswax is secreted by bees to build honeycombs; the empty comb is melted in boiling water to recover the wax. Yellow beeswax can be bleached with oxidizing agents to white beeswax, a product favoured in the cosmetic industry. The composition of beeswax varies widely with geography and the diet of the bees forming the combs, but typical components are C25-C31 hydrocarbons, esters of C30 -C32 alcohols with C16 acids and free C25 – C31 carboxylic acids.
Beeswax polish is made by putting equal amounts of beeswax and turpentine in a container, with a lid to stop evaporation, and leaving it in a warm area where the wax will dissolve into the turpentine
Carnauba wax is recovered from a variety of palm tree which grows almost exclusively in north-eastern Brazil. Carnauba wax forms on the fronds of the trees and is recovered by cutting and drying the fronds, then mechanically removing the wax. Impurities are removed from the wax by melting and filtering or centrifuging.
Carnauba wax is distinguished by its hardness and high melt point, combined with an ability to disperse pigments such as carbon black, properties which make carnauba useful in printing inks. It is also used to gel organic solvents and oils as a component of solvent and paste formulations. Carnauba polishes to a high gloss, and is used to polish items such as leather products, candies, metal surfaces, etc.
Petroleum wax producers also characterise wax by degree of refinement: fully refined paraffin has oil content generally less than .5%, and fully-refined micro-crystalline less than 1.5%; “slack wax” – precursors to the fully refined versions in either case would have oil content above 2 and as high as 35% by weight.
Synthetic waxes – entered the wax market in the last 50 years or so. They are usually formulated from Polydimethylsiloxane (PDS) or dimethicone) silicon, which is a basically inert, water based, amino functional polymer resin, Carnauba wax and also contain substantial proportions of branched and cyclic saturated hydrocarbons in addition to normal alkenes. These synthetic waxes are more durable than the natural carnauba. All synthetic waxes have the same basic structure, but the various production processes yield products with distinctly different properties, and these have a major impact on the use of products
Products from one manufacturer may satisfy one particular application, while product from a similar process will not work well at all. Major uses include hot-melt adhesives for applications requiring high-temperature performance, additives to improve the processing of plastics, and slip and rub additives for inks, paints and cosmetics. The word wax usually refers to a variety of organic substances that are solid at ambient temperature but become free-flowing liquids at slightly higher temperatures.
Note- many waxes and polymer sealants actually look better after 24 hours and /or an initial post-application wash
Unless you are using a cleaner-wax there is no need to use pressure on the applicator, just enough to make contact with the surface should suffice. Order of product application- hood- roof-trunk from front to back and, where practical, the quarter panels- door panels- and bumpers from top to bottom. Washing, claying and waxing that way effects the way light reflects off the body panels and is also less likely to show the surface marring or swirls that you will invariably make. (See also Melting Point, Wax (basic components), Polymer Wax Differences)
Information resource- National Petrochemical & Refiners Association (NPAC) – NPRA – Wax Q & A Relevant MSDS information
Wax (basic components): Although somewhat more complex than other products, waxes and sealants only involve very basic chemistry, when a chemist formulates a wax or sealant, several factors are taken into account; ease of application and removal, cleaning and / or filling ability (if required), depth of gloss, shine, durability and resistance to rain / detergents / car wash concentrate.
Unfortunately, no one wax or sealant product can meet all of the above characteristics. If one characteristic is emphasized and / or enhanced, it will be to the detriment of another. For example, increased durability means that application and removal can be more difficult. Or, if cleaning capability is emphasized, the depth of shine will decrease. The best wax or sealant to use is one that provides as many of the characteristics as possible to achieve a shiny, durable finish. Because the ingredients for each of these features work against each other inovative chemistry and a creative chemist are needed
The basic components used in waxes and sealants are;
§ Solvents or mineral oils- used for chemical cleaning, and as a carrier system, it also makes products workable and to provide spread ability, as is the case with Carnauba wax, which in its natural state is rock hard.
§ Emulsifiers – to stabilize the product (oil and water) and make it easier to use
§ Very-light abrasives – to provide mild cleaning and to aid the wax in drying consistently for easy wipe-off
§ Surfactant- defined as a material that can greatly reduce the surface tension of liquids
§ Silicone- is primarily used to modify or improve certain characteristics; i.e. shine, or added as a lubricant to enhance application.
§ Colouring- purely aesthetic / marketing
§ Fragrance- appealing fragrances help to sell the product
§ Polymers – most waxes are formulated with, amongst other things, polymer resins that once cured provide transparency and improve longevity
The unique structure makes these products very effective when used in additive amounts to modify the properties of paraffin wax, primarily for use in candles. The products can increase the hardness and opacity of the paraffin with minimal impact on cloud point or viscosity.
Paints from different (DuPont, PPG, BASF, etc) manufacturers do not favour one wax over another; there is no factual basis for custom coloured waxes with pigment dyes to mach original paint, the clear coat is applied for both protection of the colour coat and to give it depth, while allowing the paint colour to show through, some marques clear coat paints vary i.e. some are softer/ thinner etc. If you apply a non-clear wax or sealant, or a custom coloured wax it will only mute the paints colour and depth of shine.
