Abstract
For more wide development of natural wax applied in food additives industry, thermal characteristics of four insect
waxes were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), compared with paraffin (an abiological wax) and
canauba wax (a vegetal wax). It was indicated that melting point of the four insect waxes were varied at 90.42◦
C of
coccerin as the highest, 70.34◦
C of beeswax as the lowest, and 86.56◦
C of insect white wax, 83.82◦
C of shellac wax.
All of the four waxes were higher with the melting point than paraffin (63.32◦
C), and the coccerin’s melting point
was even higher than that of canauba wax (87.85◦
C). The melting enthalpy of insect waxes ranged at 168.1 to
203.2J/g, so did the crystallization enthalpy at 166.9 to 198.8J/g. Both melting and crystallization enthalpies were
near to other waxes such as paraffin and canauba wax. It was showed that DSC was qualitatively and quantitatively
available for thermal analysis of insect wax, and insect wax was good in thermal stability.
Keywords: insect wax; thermal analysis; differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)
Natural waxes were originated from vegetables, animals and minerals, also could be classified as
biological and abiological waxes. Biological waxes were formed as protective substances or nutrients of
the living creatures. It was no harmful of biological waxes to human health and the environment, but was
with some special properties for people’s daily life as a natural gift[1]. With safe and non-toxic quality,
insect waxes were widely used as forming, polishing and coating agents in food science and industry[2]. It
was well maintaining for fragrances and nutrients of fruits and preventing bacterial for better storage[3]. To
enlarge the processing and application field of insect waxes, shellac wax, insect white wax, beeswax and