近年来，大家都对在各种用途上用植物油蜡替代石蜡很感兴趣。到目前为止，只有从大豆油和棕榈油中提炼出来的蜡被认为是可以考虑的，因为它们容易提炼、价格低廉。
估计 2004 年大豆油的全球产量有 3370 万公吨，而棕榈油的全球产量约为 3300 万公吨。估计 2005 年棕榈油的全球产量有 3460 万公吨，预测说这是第一次超过大豆油的产量。这两种油的产量加在一起，占全球植物油产量的 60% 。全球都有大豆生产，美国、巴西、阿根廷和中国是大豆的主要生产国，而棕榈油的生产却主要集中在马来西亚和印度尼西亚。 2004 年马来西亚的棕榈油产量是 1570 万吨，印度尼西亚的产量是 1320 万吨。随着世界石油价格的剧烈上升，用大豆油和棕榈油制造生物柴油燃料的兴趣也日益浓厚了。
棕榈蜡这种产品是由棕榈油和棕榈脂肪及不饱和化学物质所组成，适合于生产各种类型的蜡烛。这种工艺包括：精炼棕榈油、硬化棕榈脂肪、脂肪酸，例如棕榈酸、硬脂酸、十二酸、肉豆蔻酸、酯及醇。运输到美国港的棕榈蜡价格是 0.84-1.10 美元/ 公斤。根据量的多少，大豆蜡的价格也是 1.65-1.98 美元/ 公斤。
用棕榈蜡制造蜡烛的优势在于它们不需要添加着色剂和芳香剂以外的添加剂；它们可以调试到保证容易脱模、有好的燃烧效果、容易成型到珠状和块状。可以增加不同的颜色，以扩大消费者的选择范围，但是要仔细挑选，因为一些燃料和颜料会导致问题。所有蜡烛、烛芯都要仔细挑选，因为它们会影响棕榈蜡烛的燃烧方式。报告中的信息还包括了各种棕榈和石蜡混合物、蜡烛的燃烧特性，包括火焰高度及燃烧速度。燃料和颜料中的某些颜色可能使烛芯结块、使可熔化的蜡供应减少，会影响火焰的跳动或火焰很小。着色剂也影响结晶，有一些颜色并不是和所有的蜡都相容，会移位及污染包装或容器。同样的着色剂对棕榈蜡和石蜡会产生不同的颜色效果。添加芳香剂也会导致许多同样的问题，需仔细选择。
In recent years, a great deal of interest has been shown in vegetable oil waxes as a replacement for paraffin waxes in a variety of uses. To date, only waxes made from soy oil and palm oil have been considered since they are readily available and are lowest in cost.
Global production of soy oil in 2004 is estimated at 33.7 million MT followed by palm oil at 33.0 million MT. Production of palm oil in 2005 is estimated at 34.6 MMT and is forecast to surpass soy oil for the first time. Combined, these oils account for 60 percent of global vegetable oil production. Soybean production is widely dispersed with the U.S., Brazil, Argentina, and China major producers while palm oil production is concentrated in Malaysia and Indonesia. Malaysian production of palm oil in 2004 was 15.7 MMT while Indonesia production was 13.2 MMT. Interest in both soy and palm oil for making bio-diesel fuels has surged with the sharp increase in world petroleum prices.
Palm waxes are products made from a variety of fractions of palm oil and fats and ole-co-chemical suitable for making various types of candles. The formulation include ： Refined palm oil, hardened palm fats, fatty acids such as palmitic, stearic, lauric, myristic, esters and alcohols.
The advantage of palm waxes in candles is that they do not need additives other than colorants and fragrances; they can be formulated to ensure easy mold release and good burning and are available in beads and blocks. Colors are added to increase the range of choice for consumers but they have to be carefully chosen since some dyes and pigments can cause problems. As with all candles, wicks have to be carefully chosen since they can influence the way a palm candle burns. Information in the paper is provided on various palm and paraffin wax mixtures and the burning characteristics of candles including flame height and burning rate. Some colors in the form of dyes or pigment can block the wick, reducing the supply of melted wax which can result in flame flutter or a poor flame. Colorants also impact on crystal formation while some colors are not compatible with all waxes and can migrate and stain packaging or containers. The same colorant will give different color tones with palm and paraffin waxes. The addition of fragrances can cause many of the same problems and have to be carefully chosen. |
