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Features & Benefits
- Industrial Additives Features
- Versagel® C Clear Gel Candle Formulations
Experience the Penreco® difference.
Penreco offers a series of candle gels under the Versagel brand name. These gels are specially formulated for candle making and offer flash points of 450 °F and a (typical) sustained burn (fire point) of 500 °F. The clear Versagel is thermally reversible, offers no syneresis (oil bleed) and has excellent suspension and dispersion properties.
In addition, each Versagel C grade is designed for different fragrance capacities:
- Versagel® C MP designed for fragrance loads of 3-6%.
Applications & Uses
- Markets
- Applicable Processes
- Blending Formulations
Guidelines to assist the handling of Versagel® C
Physical Process Temperature °C Mixing and blending other ingredients into the gel 95-105 Pouring the candle gel from one container into another 85-95 Loss of air bubbles 75-85 Stiffening of the liquid product into a gel structure 60-75 Oven temperature for the removal of air bubbles from the gel base 55-70 - Please note that these temperatures are only estimates and may need to be adjusted by as much as +/- 10 °C.
- The inclusion of fragrance or other materials will affect the properties listed above.
- These temperatures may need to be modified depending on the flash points of the added ingredients.
- When adding fragrances or other soluble ingredients to the gels, the blend should be thoroughly mixed to ensure that the resulting gel is completely uniform and homogeneous.
- Safety Factors
Please consider the following safety factors before formulating a clear gel candle.
We have compiled the below list from candle industry data and resources, and internal evaluations of clear gel candle formulations. This list is not intended to be a comprehensive list of factors to be taken into consideration when formulating a clear gel candle. It also does not eliminate the need for the candle manufacturer to perform strict safety tests concerning the burning and flaming characteristics of any candle.
1. FORMULATION INGREDIENT - GEL
Versagel candle gel series are formulated with a narrow cut hydrocarbon oil of exceptional safety relative to the flash point. Via the COC method, flash points of 450 °F and sustained burn (fire point) of 500 °F are typical. We have also optimized polymer type and concentration to produce a gel of exceptional clarity and maximized viscosity to resist cold flow of the gel in the container of choice.2. FORMULATION INGREDIENT – FRAGRANCE
Fragrance selection becomes critical as it relates to compatibility or solubility in the gel. Each fragrance is a complex mixture of many aroma chemicals, perhaps 30-50 different chemical ingredients, combined to produce a fragrance in which the polarity of the mixture needs careful consideration. A fragrance with a non-polar (hydrocarbon compatible) character is most preferred. A most preferred fragrance flash point would be 170 °F or higher.3. FORMULATION INGREDIENT - DYES
No information has been found which shows that the dye influences candle safety.4. FORMULATION PROCESSING OR MIXING
When processing the Versagel candle gel series, Penreco has insured that the polymer concentration is uniform throughout the gel. Care must be taken in not only selecting the correct fragrance but also in completely and uniformly mixing the fragrance into the gel before packaging the gel into the container. Incomplete mixing of the fragrance can cause an irregularly burning flame.5. GEL CANDLE WICKS
We believe the slower burn rate of gelled candle technology (perhaps 40-50% slower than wax) may, unfortunately, encourage manufacturers to use “oversized” wicks. Wick sizes are diverse and must be test burned by the manufacturer to make sure they work with the gel and additive combination. Cotton and paper cored wicks are generally not used in gel candles, whereas zinc cored wicks stand straight in hot gel during manufacture and burning. Do not trim wicks to less than 1/4 inch as it creates a potential for a very large flame with non-uniform combustion. Proper placement is also important as when not centered properly, can create localized overheating of the container and “pool.”6. GEL CANDLE CONTAINERS
We have studied and burned countless experimental candles in containers, jars, glasses and mugs of different sizes and shapes. The characteristics of the “pool viscosity” and pool temperature are influenced by the wick size and container selection. Container diameter will influence “pool temperature” and can hinder the safe dissipation of generated heat. Therefore, container composition (glass, tempered glass, clay, etc.), container center of gravity and base stability, and container diameter are all factors to be considered.
Properties
- Color
- Physical Form
- Appearance
- Clear Soft Gel
- Specifications
| Value | Units | Test Method / Conditions | |
| API Gravity (at 60 °F) | 33.3 | — | D4052 |
| Color Saybolt | 30 | — | D156 |
| Flash Point | 450 | °F | D92, COC |
| Pounds Per Gallon (at 60 °F) | 7.153 | lb/gal | D1250 |
| Viscosity (at 110 °C) | 242 | cPs | D2983 |