Beeswax is a complex organic compound. The main components of beeswax are esters, fatty acids and hydrocarbons synthesized by higher fatty acids and monohydric alcohols, but there are certain differences in its components due to differences in bee species, honey powder source plants, and refining methods.
1、Ingredients
(1) Esters: Fatty acid esters include monoesters and hydroxy esters, with a content of 70% to 75%. Among the monoesters, there are 23% melifloxacyl palmitate, 2% melifloxacin palmitate, 12% melifloxacin cerate, and 12% meliphylloyl pyrogallate. Among the hydroxy esters, there are 8% to 9% of wax alcohol palmitate, 9% to 9.5% of diester, and 4% to 4.5% of ester.
(2) Fatty acid: free fatty acid content is 10% to 15%; saturated fatty acid% to 1%, of which wax acid. 3% to 4.49%, wood tar acid 1% to 1.5%, meliflower acid and montanic acid 2%, leaf louse acid 1.3% to 1.5%, pyrogallic acid 1.5%, etc.
(3) Hydrocarbons: The content of hydrocarbons is 10% to 16%, and the saturated hydrocarbons are most prominent with 15 to 31 carbon atom chains, of which 25 alkanes are 0.3%, 27 alkanes are 0.3%, and 29 alkanes are 1%~ 2%, 31 alkanes 8% to 9%; unsaturated hydrocarbons are mainly 30 alkanes, accounting for 2.5%.
(4) Other components in beeswax: Beeswax contains fatty acid cholesterol esters, colorants (mainly 1-3 dihydroxide flavonoids), W-myristolactone, free fatty alcohols, etc. In addition, beeswax also contains a small amount of water and minerals, and carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen elements in beeswax ash account for 80%, 13%, and 7% respectively.
2、 Physical and chemical properties
(1) Color: The wax phosphorus secreted by bees is white, and most newly built honeycombs are also white. During the flowering period of some plants, due to the influence of pigments such as oil-soluble carotenoids in pollen, the honeycomb is in use. The cocoon debris and propolis left by bee larvae make the color gradually change from light to brown.
Therefore, the beeswax extracted from different honeycombs has milky white, bright yellow, yellow, brown and brown colors.
(2) State: At room temperature, beeswax is solid, with unique aroma, plasticity and lubricity. Chewing pure beeswax does not stick to the teeth and has no greasy smell. After chewing, the beeswax turns white and the beeswax is cut open. There are many fine granular crystals in the section. Beeswax stored at a lower temperature often has a layer of powdery substance on its surface, which is called wax quilt.
(3) Technical parameters: The boiling point of beeswax is about 300°C, and beeswax in boiling state is easy to decompose into carbon dioxide and acetic acid and other substances. Burning 1000 grams of beeswax can produce 10150 kcal of heat energy.
(4) Solubility: Beeswax is insoluble in water, slightly soluble in cold ethanol, completely soluble in chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, ether, benzene (30°C), carbon disulfide (30°C), turpentine and other organic solvents.
