Characteristics and ingredients of shellac
Shellac is a natural product, usually in the form of dark brown transparent flakes or powder, extracted from the resinous substance secreted by lac bugs. Its main ingredients include shellac resin, shellac pigment, shellac wax, sugar and protein. In terms of chemical properties, shellac is brittle and hard, with a melting point of about 115 to 120°C, a softening point of 70 to 80°C, and a density of 1.02 to 1.12. It is soluble in ethanol and ether, but insoluble in water and only soluble in alkaline aqueous solution.
Production method of shellac
The production methods of shellac mainly include hot filtration method and solvent method. The hot filtration method crushes and decolorizes the resin secreted by shellac insects together with branches to obtain semi-finished products, which are then processed through hot filtration, gel washing, dehydration, tableting and other processes to obtain finished products. The solvent rule is to dissolve the semi-finished product obtained after crushing, sieving, and washing the purple stems in alcohol, and then obtain the finished product through steps such as filtration, concentration, and tableting.
Application fields of shellac
Shellac has important applications in the food industry, wood industry, leather industry, military industry, electrical industry, rubber industry and paper industry. In the food industry, it is widely used as coating agent, surface decoration agent and glaze agent, with functions such as color enhancement, brightening and moisture-proofing. In other areas, shellac is used for painting, decoration, protection and color enhancement.
The future of shellac
Shellac’s versatile applications make it an indispensable biological product, providing strong support for the development of various industries. Its unique properties and multifunctional applications provide a broad space for further research and application in industrial and scientific fields. In the future, shellac may show its value in more fields and bring more innovation and progress to human society.