Flash point/scent throw correlation?

[cushie]

Hi there, I've been lurking around here for a long while - from the time I started making candles 3 years ago. I've found so much wonderful information to help me through the newbie stage of this addiction. I've been trying to make candles with only essential oils because almost all of the FOs make me break out in horrible hives and give me headaches, but I don't want to give up on the luxury of scented candles.

I know that lots of EOs don't do well in candles from both reading this forum and the tedious process of trial and error. Most of the candles I've made have this icky fuel type smell upon burning - even using oils that others have said were successful for them. (Lavender and patchouli to name a couple) The latest success had a blend of clove and cinnamon along with some orange and peppermint and a few others. It got me to thinking why this one worked and the others didn't.

I noticed that the flash points of clove and cinnamon are really high (almost 200 degrees Fahrenheit). I was wondering if maybe this has an effect on things at all. I am very aware of what flash point means (the temperature at which the substance will ignite if heated directly) and lots of people claim that this has no bearing on scent. But I can't help but wonder otherwise.

Has anyone else had this experience? Even when using FOs? Do the higher flash points give you a better hot throw? Just wondering if I was the only one having this experience.

[ChrisR]

Once you mix the FO or EO with wax, the flash point doesn't come into play and as far as scent throw, that has many factors that have to do with your wax type and wicking. Some of my best throwers have low flash points!!

[cushie]

Thanks for replying Chris! Just out of curiosity, do you use EOs, FOs or both?

[ChrisR]

I actually use both. There are a couple EO's I use alone, but I use many more with my FO's to kick up some blends!

[jonsie]

Good question, Cushie, I've wondered the same thing.

I definitely can't dispute Chris' findings since I haven't tested anything, but I agree that logic (with no experience) would seem to point to a correlation.

Factors that I want to test with low flash point FOs/EOs would be keeping the wax at a lower temperature when adding the FO (like 135 - 150F), and secondly, pouring at a lower temperature (135 - 150F).

So I'm not answering your question, just saying I'm wondering the same thing as you are.

Best of luck.

Susan

[CareBear]

Once you mix the FO or EO with wax, the flash point doesn't come into play

This is absolutely correct. Just to remind y'all, the flash point is the temperature at which the fumes of a material will ignite when exposed to a flame. It's a safety thing - important for shipping (well, kinda) and for manufacturing. But when two or more materials are mixed the flash point shifts to a new number which CAN BE GENERALIZED as in proportion to the amounts and flash points of the two components. The math isn't actually simple, though. http://www.nist.gov/data/PDFfiles/jpcrd695.pdf So try Lotioncrafter's estimation tool, instead which is a rougher estimation.

So if you add an FO with a flash point of 170F at 6% to beeswax, the APPROXIMATE flash point of the mix is 534F.

Do not confuse "flash point" with "flashing off" which is about evaporation, not about flammability.