Overview (Wax)

Wax is an organic, plastic-like substance that is solid at ambient temperature and becomes liquid when melted. Because wax is plastic in nature, it usually deforms under pressure without the application of heat.

The following summarizes the general features of wax:

  • Solid at ambient temperature
  • Thermoplastic in nature
  • Combustible
  • Liquid at 150 to 200°F
  • Insoluble in water
The term "wax" is applied to a large number of chemically different materials. Technological advances in the world today have led to an increasing number of commercially available substances of various chemical compositions and properties which have acquired the name "wax".