A.F. Suter and Co. Ltd

Shellac, Waxes, Gums and Resins

Shellac – Dewaxed Flakes – Technical Grade

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Dewaxed Shellac Flakes – Technical Grade

REACH exemption statement available.

CAS Number: 9000-59-3
EINECS Number: 232-549-9

Source

Shellac is a natural resin refined from Lac, the resinous secretion of the tiny scale insect Kerria lacca, which is parasitic on certain host trees in India.

Dewaxed Shellac is refined from Seedlac using the Solvent Extraction Process. It is extracted by dissolving the Seedlac in a solvent, usually ethanol. The solution is then filtered through a fine cloth which removes any insoluble matter and most of the naturally occurring wax contained in the Lac. The solution is sometimes further filtered using activated carbon to lighten the colour of the Shellac. The alcohol is recovered by evaporation, while the remaining viscous Shellac is stretched into a thin film using a roller before being broken into flakes once cool.

Properties

Dewaxed Shellac is sold in flake form and typically contains ≤0.2% wax. It is soluble in alcohol and aqueous alkaline solutions and is available in a variety of grades that are categorised by colour, usually by reference to the Gardner or Lovibond scales. The Gardner colour scale measures the shade of yellow of transparent liquids. Shellac colour grades are determined after dissolving a sample in an 20% ethanol solution and comparing it with a known standard. The Gardner colour range extends from 1 (almost transparent yellow) to 40 (dark brown).

A.F. Suter & Co. Ltd supplies Dewaxed Shellac in the following colours and grades:

Colour

Dewaxed Shellac Grade

Gardner

Extra Light

Super-Blonde

≤ 8

Light

Blonde

≤ 11

Medium

Lemon

≤ 15

Dark

Orange

≤ 17

Extra Dark

Garnet

18+

Uses

Dewaxed Shellac is mainly used for technical applications that will be coated with something else, such as varnish or paint, since removing the wax helps the topcoat to adhere more effectively. For Food, Confectionery and Pharmaceutical industry applications we recommend our highly refined AFS Dewaxed Bleached flake grades, which are bleached by physical absorption. When used as a coating, Dewaxed Shellac provides a clear, high gloss finish that dries rapidly and uniformly but has a lower viscosity than Wax-Containing Shellac so may be less suitable for highly porous surfaces.

Please click on the following links for more information about how Dewaxed Shellac is used in the following industries and its applications:

Wood Treatment Industry

Textiles & Leather Industry

Printing & Packaging

Industrial & Other

Binding Agents

Varnish, Polish & Non-Edible Coatings

Technical & Other Applications