I was just wondering what crayons are made of, like if there's a metallic element or something in it, because if you stick crayons in a microwave to melt them, they'll start on fire. Any help?
Thanks, I would greatly appreciat an answer
2007-11-04 12:04:39 · 9 answers · asked by lil_twin_of_cork 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
typically they are made of paraffin wax, a petroleum product. they can be made of hardened grease and basically anything that stays in a soft solid state.
Some fine arts companies such as Swiss Caran d'Ache manufacture water-soluble crayons. With or without water, once applied to media the crayons' colors are easily mixed.
2007-11-04 12:09:07 · answer #1 · answered by Kam 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Crayola crayons, made by Binney & Smith of Easton, Pa. are made of paraffin wax and stearic acid. I asked them what were the proportions, but they told me that that was secret. I think that it's about 50/50. I asked them about the pigments that they use, and indeed many are metal compounds, which have been known for more than 100 years. If crayons ignite in a microwave, then don't do that! Melt the crayons in a double-boiler kind of arrangement.
2007-11-04 20:15:49 · answer #2 · answered by steve_geo1 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Raw Materials
Crayons are made of paraffin mixed with various chemical pigments. Paraffin is delivered to the crayon factory in liquid form; delivery trucks must maintain a wann enough temperature to keep the paraffin from hardening (paraffin becomes liquid at about 135°F [57°C]).
Because paraffin will not mix with water or water mixtures, the pigments are in powdered form, although they may have been made from a water mix and then dried. Pigments are made by suppliers following formulas dictated by the crayon manufacturer. Individual pigments are made of chemicals mixed together in wooden tanks and forced through filters to remove excess water, leaving chunks of the individual pigments. The pigments are then kiln-dried for several days. After drying, the chunks of pigment are mixed according to the formula for the desired color, pulverized into a powder, and blended for color consistency. The mixes are sent to the crayon factory.
Over the past 10 years, additional ingredients have been added to crayons. One of the most popular is glitter, small pieces of reflective material that make the crayon-produced work shine as it catches and reflects random beams of light. Perfumes and other scents can also be added to the mix.
2007-11-05 07:08:15 · answer #3 · answered by sccrkidd8687 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Crayon's are mostly made of wax with dye to add colour.
2007-11-04 20:12:18 · answer #4 · answered by moviefreak 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wax mostly
2007-11-04 20:09:02 · answer #5 · answered by babybear_111 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
wax along with colouring agents
2007-11-04 20:07:35 · answer #6 · answered by trinighter 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
wax
2007-11-04 20:07:45 · answer #7 · answered by salmon 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
wax and dyes
2007-11-04 20:07:50 · answer #8 · answered by charmed 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crayons
best answer plz
2007-11-04 20:12:40 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋