Thanks to their water-repellent, antioxidant, lubricating and insulating properties, among others, paraffins are present in many industries, such as agriculture, candle making, food, electronics, rubber, and more. However, not all paraffins are the same.

Paraffins are synthetic waxes derived from hydrocarbons and subjected to refining processes. According to their degree of refinement, they are classified as refined or semi-refined.

Semi-refined paraffins are characterized by an oil content ranging from 1% to 5%, a higher percentage than that of refined paraffins. As they undergo fewer refining processes, they are generally not pure white in color and have a characteristic odor. This odor, however, can be softened in some cases by deodorization processes.

For all these reasons, compared to refined paraffins, semi-refined paraffins have slightly lower quality. However, before opting for one or the other, it is worth analyzing the purpose and final product, in order to select the most competitive material in price-quality terms.

Refined or semi-refined paraffin?

When deciding whether to buy a refined or semi-refined paraffin, it is important to consider what it will be used for. In some applications, it is essential to use top quality refined paraffin, such as in the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. For this purpose, we offer paraffins approved by the European Pharmacopoeia, such as our Refined Paraffin 66-69 °C P-600.

But there are also many industrial uses that do not require paraffin with this degree of purity, such as producing emulsions for chipboard, filling electrical cables, or manufacturing of anti-caking agents or water repellents for fertilizers. In all these cases, it is much more practical to use a good quality semi-refined paraffin, such as our Semi-Refined Paraffin 52-55 °C.