The hydrocarbon-based carbon chain of candles is long, and the main components are C and H, while ethanol contains more oxygen than candles, and a considerable part of it has been oxidized, so it burns less heat, while candles have more C and H, and oxidation produces more heat. The main components of candles are n-docosane and n-octacosane (C28H58), and the number of chemical bonds is ten times more than that of alcohol (C2H6O). In addition, the ratio of derivative bond to σ bond in chemical bond also affects the energy.
Property composition
The main raw material of candles is paraffin wax, which is made from waxy fractions of petroleum by cold pressing or solvent dewaxing. It is a mixture of several higher alkanes, mainly n-docosane (C22H46) and n-octacosane (C28H58), containing about 85% carbon and 14% hydrogen. Accessories added include white oil, stearic acid, polyethylene, essence, etc. Among them, stearic acid (C 17H35COOH) is mainly used to improve the softness, and the specific addition amount depends on what kind of candles are produced.