# A question for the chemists



## j20nyh

What's the cheapest and best way to turn 5 litres of liquid wax / carnauba cream to a solid form that can be poured and left to set?


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## j20nyh

Anyone?


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## J306TD

Have a look in the home brew section


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## j20nyh

I thought I was in the home brew section?


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## J306TD

Haha sorry I'm on TapaTalk. Didn't think to look.

Personally I would try to heat it up on the hob. Stir it then pour into a glass jar. Let it cool and place in the fridge


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## j20nyh

I'll give it a go, your logic being that by heating it will evaporate excess solvents which will help solidify the wax?


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## adjones

Unless you know what is in there, anything you do will be a complete guess. There is no guarantee that the product has any solvent content at all so you could easily end up with a solid lump of carnauba mixed with emulsifier, which will be FA use to anyone.


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## shine247

adjones said:


> Unless you know what is in there, anything you do will be a complete guess. There is no guarantee that the product has any solvent content at all so you could easily end up with a solid lump of carnauba mixed with emulsifier, which will be FA use to anyone.


So just to be sure, are you saying it may be of no use?


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## stangalang

Just confirm, are you trying to take a pre existing liquid wax and make it a solid? As in, you bought a liquid and want to change its fundamentals? Or do you need to dial in your homebrew? If so might be worth saying what you are using at present


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## Risdale

j20nyh said:


> What's the cheapest and best way to turn 5 litres of liquid wax / carnauba cream to a solid form that can be poured and left to set?


As a former chemist what you are asking sounds like a bit of a tall order. If you are wanting to do what I think you are then you would have to remove the existing solvents (the ones that keep it a liquid) and add alternative ones to promote hardening (as well as not melting!). You'd be far easier just buying a pre-made one rather than converting one you've already bought.

However if you have made a concoction and want to make it solid then I'd suggest researching the solvent/wax ratios you have - as well as the specific type of solvent. They all have different properties and behavioral patterns. This knowledge isn't from a detailing perspective as I'm new to it all but in terms of raw chemistry I know a reasonable amount! :thumb:


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## Bero

Add two table spoons of cornflour......stir vigorously, then chill to -60degC. Pretty sure it will be solid at that temps.

....whether I would use it on my car is another matter.


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## adjones

Risdale said:


> As a former chemist what you are asking sounds like a bit of a tall order. If you are wanting to do what I think you are then you would have to remove the existing solvents (the ones that keep it a liquid) and add alternative ones to promote hardening (as well as not melting!). You'd be far easier just buying a pre-made one rather than converting one you've already bought.


A liquid wax will almost certainly be an emulsion. There is a good chance that it would actually have no solvents, beyond water, in the formulation (an MSDS would confirm this). You certainly wouldn't want to add new solvents, this would almost certainly make the problem worse and may well destroy the product totally. The only real potential would be to get some of the water out and hope that it then sets solid. But you have no idea at all.

Honestly, without knowing more about the product, you might as well drink it and scoop the results from your toilet bowl - it has about the same chance of success.


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## angelw

Forget it ,it can't be done ,it's odds on an emulsion ,you can break this by high speed shear mixing and filter and then dry the residue but it will be useless.


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## saltwater

You need the msds for whatever you're trying to solidify.

I read your post and saw someone looking to convert a liquid wax to a paste (not solid)

if that's your aim it may be possible but tbf changing a liquid emulsion to a paste emulsion means adding thickeners (such as xanthan gum) whilst it's being made not after.
If the only solvent is water you could try adding a thickener retrospectively but I fear it would be detrimental to the product


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## cheekymonkey

why not sell the liquid wax and buy a paste


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