Research Journal No.

17

Vernice V. Fernandez December 03,2019

8-Amaryllis Group No. 2

The Feasibility of Vegetable Oil and Salt as an Additive

Component in Making Candles

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We have taken efforts in this project. However, it would not have been possible without the kind support and
help of the teachers and the school. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all of them. We are highly
indebted to (EP Science Teachers) for their guidance and constant supervision as well as for providing
necessary information regarding the project & also for their support in completing the project. We would like
to express our gratitude towards our parents & members of EP department for their kind co-operation and
encouragement which help us in completion of this project.
We would like to express our special gratitude and thanks to our advisers for giving us such attention and
time. Our thanks and appreciations also to our school in developing the project and people who have willingly
helped us out with their abilities.

To our ever supportive and loving parents, teachers and friends. This study is whole heartedly dedicated
with all sincerity and gratitude.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgement

Abstract

Chapter I
Background Study

Statement of the Problem

Significance of the Study

Scope and Limitations

Definition of Terms

Chapter II Related Literature

Review of Related Literature

Chapter III Methodology

Materials

Methods

Chapter IV Results and Observation

Data and Observation

Conclusion

Recommendation

References
 The Study of Vegetable Oil and Salt as an Additive
Component in Making Candles
Abstract

This study tries to find out the study of the used cooking oil and salt as an additive component of candle.
This study aims to produce a low-priced but high-quality candle by using used cooking oil as a major
component.

The researcher would like to test the feasibility of vegetable oil and salt. The following materials: 500
mL used cooking oil, 100 g salt, 1 kg paraffin wax, strings cut into 2.5 inches long, serves as wick, Bunsen
burner, beaker, stirring rod, and mold. The researcher conducted the experiment. The measured paraffin
waxes will be cut into small pieces to facilitate melting. It will be placed in a clean and dry beaker. The beaker
will be heated in low fire using a Bunsen burner until the waxes melt. The melted wax will be added with
different measurement of vegetable oil. Before the mixture solidifies, they will be formed into molds, wicks
suspended in the middle of the container. They will be air-dried until hardened.

The melting rate of the different preparations of candles will be tested by the measured initial lengths
of the candles and allowing them to burn for 15 minutes. The final lengths of the candles will be measured
again. The melted candle will also be collected and measured. The intensity of light produced by the candles
will also be tested using the photometer.

The table shows that the candle A has a very dim type of flame while the candle F has the very bright
type of combust. It only means that the more used cooking oil in the candle, the more bright the type of the
candles' flame. Also with the lifespan of the candles, the more the used cooking oil in the candle and salt the
more it lasts elongated.

The researcher would like to recommend that the study will be re-conducted to gather authentic
results. It is also recommended to have further analysis of the composition of the candle.

Chapter I Introduction

Background of the Study

Today, candles are made not only for lighting purposes but for many other uses such as home decor,
novelty collections, as fixtures for big occasions such as weddings, baptismal, birthdays, etc. and as scented
varieties for aromatherapy. Candles are made from different types of waxes and oils.
Candle is an important material and is sometimes used in our community. In our modern times, it is
used mainly for its aesthetic purposes and scent. Its fragrant smell is known for this study will be conducted
in order to know the capabilities of the candle with used cooking oil and learn the difference of it from the
commercially produced candles. This study aims to develop a better product that the commercial candles.
Vegetable oil is a major kitchen item in Thai households. It is also used substantially in fast-food
outlets, where it used in different stages of food preparations. Ordinarily, used cooking oil is discarded. This
waste oil pollutes and clogs canals and sewerage systems. Some oils burn in liquid or aerosol form,
generating light, and heat which can be used directly or converted into other forms of energy such as
electricity or mechanical work
Common salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound
belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in its natural form as a crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or
halite. Salt is present in vast quantities in seawater, where it is the main mineral constituent. Salt is essential
for human life, and saltiness is one of the basic human tastes. The tissues of animals contain larger quantities
of salt than do plant tissues. Salt is one of the oldest and most ubiquitous food seasonings, and salting is an
important method of food preservation.

Statement of the Problem

This study tries to find out the feasibility of the vegetable oil and salt as an additive component of
candle. This study aims to produce a low-priced but high-quality candle by using vegetable oil as a major
component. This also aims to compare the effectiveness between salt and vegetable oil.

This study aims to answer the following questions:

What would be the candle compositions to be used?

What would be the procedure in making the candle?
Hypotheses:

It is probable to make candles out of vegetable oil and salt.

Candles out of used vegetable oil and salt can be comparable to candles out of paraffin wax (commercial
candle) in terms of life span and type of flame.

Significance of the Study

In our country today more ways are now made to utilize common things in order to make products
easier and cheaper. In this research study, vegetable oil is used as an alternative for paraffin wax in candle
making and the salt as an additive to make a candle melts slowly.

In the field of Science, this study contributes a lot for the reason that we can find alternative for paraffin
wax as main component in candle making; besides paraffin was derived from petroleum and the latter is
much expensive. This study contributes knowledge to the researchers and also to the community in the
sense of finding an alternative way to used vegetable oil and salt to make a candle that can help spending
less money because it can reduce the melting of candle.
The researchers wanted to develop a cheaper and recycled candle that can be easily made at home
and with materials that are eco-friendly, recycled and can be commonly seen. It is easy to make a candle
and is a good hobby. By doing this, we can save money and save mother earth.
Candles are also essential especially during power failures and emergencies.

Scope and Limitations

Upon conducting the experimentation process, the researcher had found out some limitations within
the project and these are the following:

The researcher did not include the measurement of the amount of light given off by each candle
because the instrument used to measure was not available in the surroundings.
Upon testing the candle's quality, the researcher only include the following parameters:
-lifespan of the candles
-type of the flame produce by the candles

Definition of Terms

Candle - a stick of solid wax with an embedded wick burned for light
Hydrocarbon - are compounds that can produce light to candle
Stearic acid - serves as the hardener in candle making
Paraffin wax - a white, waxy substance consisting of a mixture of hydrocarbons, distilled from petroleum and
used for making candles, sealing jars, etc.

Chapter II: Related Literature

Review of Related Literature

Candles used to be largely made up of solid combustible waxes of fatty substance formed around a
wick. It is a source of light. Beeswax candles were used in Egypt and Crete as early as 3000 B.C. Much later,
candles were made by pouring molten wax or tallow into molds, containing wicks. Next came the paraffin
wax, which is crystallized from petroleum. Today, commercially available candles are approximately made
up of 65 percent paraffin wax and 35 percent stearic acid.

Waxes compromise a broad group of opaque, water repellent, essentially solid materials having varied
chemical composition and many diverse applications. Its name applied originally to naturally occurring esters
of fatty acids and monohydric alcohols but not refers to both natural and manufactured products resembling
these esters. They soften gradually on heating, going through a soft, malleable state before ultimately forming
a liquid.

Oils are greasy, generally combustible liquid of vegetables, animals or mineral origin which is insoluble
in alcohol and always in Ether. Oils are used as food, for lubricating, illuminating and as fuel. It is also used
in the manufacture of soap, candles, cosmetics, perfumery, etc. Vegetable oils are increasingly used as a
substitute for fossil fuels. Vegetable oils are the basis of biodiesel, which can be used like conventional diesel.
Some vegetable oil blends are used in unmodified vehicles, but straight vegetable oil needs specially
prepared vehicles which have a method of heating the oil to reduce its viscosity and surface tension. Another
alternative is vegetable oil refining. The oil has a presence of viscosity, which means it is thicker in surface
than the other liquid.

Wick were made up of cotton or linen woven and braided in such a way that it will burn in one direction,
curling so as to texture its end into oxidizing zone of the candles flame for complete combustion.

Common salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound
belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in its natural form as a crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or
halite. Salt is present in vast quantities in seawater, where it is the main mineral constituent. The open ocean
has about 35 grams (1.2 oz) of solids per liter, a salinity of 3.5%. Salt is essential for human life, and saltiness
is one of the basic human tastes. The tissues of animals contain larger quantities of salt than do plant tissues.
Salt is one of the oldest and most ubiquitous food seasonings, and salting is an important method of food
preservation.

The Sodium chloride or salt has high melting point which means it can’t be easily be melted with just a
common fire. The reason why too much salt can make wax easily melt because of the ratio or proportion of
a solution between solute and solvent. One factor that affects the rate of solution is that the proportion
between the solvent and solute.

Chapter III: Methodology

Materials:
100 mL salt
500 mL vegetable oil 1 kg paraffin wax strings cut into 5 inches long, serves as wick beaker Alcohol lamp
stirring rod
Candle molds Balance Scale Methods:
The measured paraffin waxes will be cut into small pieces to facilitate melting. It will be placed in a clean
and dry beaker. The beaker will be heated in low fire using alcohol lamp until the waxes melt. The melted
wax will be added with different percentages of used cooking oil. The melted wax was then measured in
specific measurement to make a candle. The experiment was done in three trials, first trial all candle has
the same amount of wax with different amount of oil, the second trial was with the same amount of paraffin
wax and different amount of oil and salt mixture and the third trial was with the same amount of paraffin
wax and different amount of salt. Before the mixture solidifies, they will be formed into molds, wicks
suspended in the middle of the container. They will be air-dried until hardened.

The melting rate of the different preparations of candles will be tested by the measured initial lengths
of the candles and allowing them to burn for 15 minutes. The final lengths of the candles will be measured
again. The melted candle will also be collected and measured.

Paraffin wax and molds

Table Salt
Alcohol
Vegetable oil
Melting candle

These are the following preparations made by the researcher:

Trial 1
40 mL paraffin wax – 0 mL vegetable oil
40 mL paraffin wax – 0.5 mL vegetable oil
40 mL paraffin wax – 1 mL vegetable oil
40 mL paraffin wax – 2 mL vegetable oil
40 mL paraffin wax - 5 mL vegetable oil
Trial 2
40 mL paraffin wax – 0 mL vegetable oil – O g salt
40 mL paraffin wax – 0.5 mL vegetable oil – 5 g salt
40 mL paraffin wax – 1 mL vegetable oil – 10 g salt
Page 11
40 mL paraffin wax – 2 mL vegetable oil – 15 g salt
40 mL paraffin wax - 5 mL vegetable oil – 20 salt
Trial 3
40 mL paraffin wax – 0 g salt
40 mL paraffin wax – 5 g salt
40 mL paraffin wax – 10 g salt
40 mL paraffin wax – 15 g salt
4o mL paraffin wax – 20 g salt
Chapter IV: Results and Discussion

Data and Observation

In this chapter, it tries to discuss the observation noted on the experiment and the characteristics of
the candles made from vegetable oil and salt. Trial I
Table 1
Ratio Between Paraffin Wax , Type of Final Length After Other Observation
Vegetable Oil and Salt Flame Melting- 15 mins. duration
(original length 2 cm)

A. 40 mL paraffin wax – 0 mL Orange flame 0.9 cm The wax melts fastest

vegetable oil compare to the rest of the
sample

2. 40 mL paraffin wax – 0.5 mL Orange flame 1.4 cm The wax melts slowly
vegetable oil

C. 40 mL paraffin wax – 1 mL Orange flame 1.7 cm The slowest candle that

vegetable oil melts.

D. 40 mL paraffin wax – 2 mL Orange 1.5 cm Slow melts

vegetable oil flame

E. 40 mL paraffin wax - 5 mL Orange 1.4 cm The wax melts slowly,

vegetable oil flame the presence of liquid on
the top is the oil.

Table 1 shows that the candle A melts faster than the rest of the candle, while the candle C has the slowest.
The candle C has an average amount of oil so it melts very slow, while that more vegetables oil in the candle
melts slow also but not like the sample C which melts really so slow. Also with the lifespan of the candles.
As shown above, it is found out that the more vegetable oil in the candle cannot prevent the wax from melting
slowly, but with just average amount of oil can make the candle melts so slowly. The flame produces were
all the same- orange colored flame and the same brightness.
Trial 2
Table 2

Ratio Between Paraffin Wax , Type of Final Length After Other Observation
Vegetable Oil and Salt Flame Melting- 15 mins. duration
(original length 2 cm)

A.40 mL paraffin wax – 0 mL Orange 0.9 cm The paraffin continue

vegetable oil – 0 g salt flame melting.

B. 40 mL paraffin wax – 0.5 mL Orange 1.0 cm The oil is visible on the

vegetable oil – 5 g salt flame top of the candle which
prevent paraffin wax
melts fast.

C. 40 mL paraffin wax – 1 mL Orange 1.0 cm The oil is visible on the

vegetable oil – 10 g salt flame top of the candle which
prevent paraffin wax
melts fast.

D. 40 mL paraffin wax – 1 mL Orange 1.2 cm The oil is visible on the

vegetable oil – 15 g salt flame top of the candle which
prevent paraffin wax

melts fast.

E. 40 mL paraffin wax – 1 mL Orange 1.5 cm Upon lighting the oil

vegetable oil – 20 g salt flame melts first and control
the paraffin from
melting.

Table 2 shows that the candle A melts very fast while the candle E has the slowest melting point. It only
means that the more used vegetable oil mixed with salt can make the candle melts very slow. Also with the
lifespan of the candles. As shown above, the vegetable cooking oil with salt in the candle, the more it lasts
long.
Trial 3
Table 3

Ratio Between Paraffin Wax Type of Flame Final Length After Other Observation
, Vegetable Oil and Salt Melting- 15 mins.
duration
(original length 2 cm)

A. 40 mL paraffin wax – 0 g Orange flame 1.1 cm Melts faster than B, C,

salt and D

B. 40 mL paraffin wax – 5 g Orange flame 1.4 cm Melts slowly than A

salt

C. 40 mL paraffin wax –10 g Orange flame 1.4cm Melts slowly than A

salt

D. 40 mL paraffin wax – 15 g Orange flame 1.4 cm Melts slowly than A

salt

E. 40 mL paraffin wax – 20 g Orange flame 0.4 cm Melts very fast than A,

salt B, and C

Table 3 shows the result that as it was observed, that if the candle has more amount of salt will melt faster,
but with those only little amounts of salt mixed with paraffin wax will melt slowly compare to the pure paraffin
wax candle.

Figure 7 Measuring time

Figure 10 Figure 11
Figure 9
Measuring the
Melted Candle Melted Candle remaining wax
pure wax and wax, oil and after melting
molds) salt
Figure 8 Measuring the weight
of salt
Conclusion
It was concluded that adding vegetable oil and salt in the production of alternative candles only make few
significant difference or great impact on the effects of the samples when applied on the candles. The addition
of vegetable oil and salt only increased the moisture of the samples which helps the wax less in melting.
Indeed, it lowered the costs of the production of the candles. Furthermore, trial 2 can be comparable to the
commercial one and is more effective than the other samples.

Recommendations
The researcher recommends further research on the project especially on the right amounts of the vegetable
oil and salt and its other composition to achieve a better mixture and produce a better product.

References:
http://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-make-a-candle-last-longer/#.V3Kmxfl97IU
http://www.edu-sciece.com/2013/01/the-feasibility-of-used-cooking-oil-as.html
http://www.judyofthewoods.net/diy/lamp.html http://www.ehow.com/how_2165685_candles-last-longer.html

Glossary:

 Paraffin-a soft, waxy substance that is usually made of petroleum

 Wicks-a string or piece of material in candle
 Combust-flame, blaze
 Elongated-long
 Novelty- the quality or state of being new, different, and interesting
 Aromatherapy-
theuseof natural oils that have a pleasant smell to make a person feel bett
er especially by rubbing the oils into the skin Clogs-something that blocks a
pipe
 Aerosol-a substance (such as hair spray or medicine) that is kept in
a container under pressure and that is released as
a fine spray when a button is pressed
 Constituent-one of the part that form something
 Halite-rock salt
 Vast-very great in size, amount
 Ubiquitous-can be seen everywhere
 Combustible-able to be burn easily
 Beeswax-wax made by bees
 Stearic-
a white crystalline fatty acid C 18 H 36 O 2 obtained by saponifying tallow or oth
er hard fats containing stearin; also : a commercial mixture of stearic and p
almitic acids
 Monohydric-containing one hydroxyl group in a molecule
 Esters-any of a class of often fragrant organic compounds that can
be represented by the formula RCOOR′ and that are usually formed by
the reaction between an acid and an alcohol with elimination of water
 Malleable-easily changed
 Viscosity-sticky