Investigation of Mixing and Cooling Properties of Beeswax and Table Sugar

Through Microstructural Analysis

Nozomi Ando

Dan Steingart

Nick Svencer

Tufts University

Medford, MA 02155

Overview

To study wax-sugar phase boundaries To determine whether a mixture or reaction

occurs. To investigate the resulting physical

properties To analyze the products viability for sale as

a candy.

Introduction

Cooling Properties of a Beeswax/Sugar Mixture Based on Composition and Cooling Rate

Homogeneity of the MixturePhysical Properties of the MixtureOptical Properties of the Mixture

Areas of Interest are:

Experimental DesignSpherical Mold chosen

Creates even cooling Aids in cast removal Thermocouples placed to

create cooling comparison

Made Wax the Major Component

To create diversity among the experiments

Water-Sugar-Wax Ratio 25/20/50

Experimental Procedure Made Mold Determined Wax-Sugar-Water ratio Heated Sugar-Water mixture to 180 Celcius Added 50 grams wax Using LabVIEW program, measured and graphed

temperature until change leveled off. Waited for mixture to solidify, then studied microstructure

under microscope.

Results - Cooling Curve

Since the mixture was supersaturated, the precipitate wax fell out of solution quickly.

Two distinct cooling curves resulted, one for each section of the mixture.

Thermocouple Readings

020406080

100120140160

0 100 200 300 400 500 600

Time (s)

Te

mp

era

ture

De

gre

es

Ce

lciu

s

Wax Thermocouple

Mixture Thermocouple

Results - Mixture Properties

Separation occurred rapidly, a low solubility assumed.

Compared to graduate student sample; less of a saturation gradient.

Results - Microstructure Properties

Wax Region Dark, amorphous

region No visible pattern

Sugar Region Bright, globular region No apparent structure,

bright spots may allude to diffraction, a crystal property

Discussion - Cooling Theory

Wax observed to solidify quickly; assumed to have a lower specific heat.

If wax has a lower specific heat, then the wax which remained in suspension must have increased the

cooling rate of the sugar.

Discussion - Mechanical Properties

Wax soft malleable

Sugar - Wax Mixture hard brittle

Discussion - Mixture vs. Reaction

Separation indicative of a mixture.

Microstructure shows a disorderly combination of wax and sugar properties.

If mixture is so obvious, why consider a reaction?

Discussion - Optical Properties

Although the mixture is mostly wax, the sugar’s optical properties are predominant.

Translucent Diffracts light when

cracked

Conclusion

Wax cools faster than sugar, thus sugar has a high heat capacity

The creation is a mixture, not a reaction

While sugar was only a fraction of the mixture, its physical properties were predominant in the mixture

Thermocouple Readings

0

50

100

150

200

0 100 200 300 400 500 600

Time (s)

Te

mp

era

ture

De

gre

es

Ce

lciu

s Wax Thermocouple

Mixture Thermocouple

Future Modifications

Control and compare different wax to sugar composition

Better mixing toolsUse an electron scanning microscope for

more precise crystal analysisUniform molds between all experiments