Paraffin is a mixture of hydrocarbons extracted from certain distillates of petroleum, shale oil or other bituminous mineral oils. The main components are solid alkanes, odorless, tasteless, white or pale yellow translucent solids. Paraffin wax is amorphous but has a distinct crystal structure. Another artificial paraffin.

Paraffin wax is a kind of petroleum processing products, is a kind of mineral wax, is also a kind of petroleum wax. It is a flake or needle crystal obtained from the lubricating oil fraction obtained by distillation of crude oil by solvent refining, solvent dewaxing or wax freezing crystallization, press dewaxing, and then solvent deoiling, refining and wax paste. Used for making high fatty acid, high alcohol, match, candle, waterproof agent, ointment, electrical insulation material, etc.

Paraffin wax, also known as crystal wax, is a kind of soluble in gasoline, carbon disulfide, xylene, ether, benzene, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, naphtha and other non-polar solvents, insoluble in water and methanol and other polar solvents.

Paraffin is divided into food grade (food grade and packaging grade, the former is better) and industrial grade, food grade non-toxic, industrial grade is not edible.

Paraffin is from the lubricating oil fraction obtained by distillation of crude oil through solvent refining, solvent dewaxing or wax frozen crystallization, press dewaxing to make wax paste, and then deoiling, and supplement refined made flake or needle crystal. According to the different degree of refining, it can be divided into three kinds: full refined paraffin, semi-refined paraffin and crude paraffin.

Each type of wax is divided into different varieties according to the melting point, generally every 2℃, such as 52,54,56,58 and other grades. Crude paraffin has a high oil content and is mainly used to make matches, fiberboard, canvas and so on. Fully refined paraffin wax and semi-refined paraffin wax are widely used in food, oral medicine and some commodities (such as wax paper, crayons, candles, carbon paper) components and packaging materials, baking containers for dressing, fruit preservation, electrical components insulation, improve rubber aging resistance and increase flexibility. It can also be used for oxidation to produce synthetic fatty acids.