[HurleyByrd]

For several weeks I have been trying to locate the "recipe" to produce a water based emulsion, or at least I believe it's water based. I have several hundred gallons of Exxon Isopar M Liquid Paraffin (C13-14 Isoparaffin) and wish to produce a wood/lumber preservative such as Anchorseal, if you are familiar with that product.

It appears to me this should be a very easy emulsion to produce and produce in such a way it will not crack, unless frozen of course. The Anchorseal product I seek to replicate can be brushed on, sprayed on (light thinning using water) and or rolled, etc..  Anchorseal is produced using Slack Wax and not with a purity level of the LP I have (Slack Wax - branched chain hydrocarbons having carbon numbers predominantly greater than C20.) Anchorseal's SDS states a 45% to 50% Petroleum Wax. They also make a winter version by adding in 5% of Wood Alcohol.

The Isopar's clean, clear nature may not work for all I know (it is a cosmetic grade LP though that is used for lotions) but I want to try making some varied versions and see what I can get. Am I barking up a wrong tree with this idea?  Where can I locate a base recipe/instructions for experimentation? Money is not a large consideration, within reason of course. I am willing to purchase the required surfactants, gums, etc...  and possibly even the required equipment for larger batch runs. 

Your Thoughts Please,
Thank You
Peter

[rolnor]

I think you should search in patent database, here is one suggestion; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_dodecyl_sulfate
I wonder C13 has a bp. 235°C is that really useful to treat wood?

[Enthalpy]

The use I saw for Anchorseal is to slow down drying at the ends of freshly cut timber. A reasonably volatile paraffin would then fit. The booze contains polymers too.

I just wonder why make an emulsion, rather than diluting with a lighter, more volatile paraffinic solvent. "No solvent" is a sales argument for Anchorseal, but their C₁₃-C₁₄ will evaporate too.

Beware "wood alcohol" is a poison, methanol. Just don't sniff it.

Egg yolk stabilizes water emulsions too. No idea if it rots.

Rotting is a general problem of emulsions, and you don't want that at timber. A soap like Rolnor proposed could combat rotting.

==========

WOW: use turpentine to dilute your paraffin. It's a solvent, it's volatile, but nobody will reproach you putting turpentine on trees nor evaporating it in a forest. Ha!

Perhaps rosin could replace the paraffin or the polymer? That would be sort of green and natural! You need some residue that isn't brittle, perhaps rosin dissolved in a heavy liquid hydrocarbon.

The combination would amount to add just sap at the freshly cut ends of timber. Among the many components of sap, find the ones that evaporate at the proper pace and are cheap, recombine in proportions that give the desired fluidity. Or check what the paper industry offers as by-products. For instance myrcene dimerizes readily, maybe the C₂₀ replaces the polymer.

[HurleyByrd]

The use I saw for Anchorseal is to slow down drying at the ends of freshly cut timber. A reasonably volatile paraffin would then fit. The booze contains polymers too.

I just wonder why make an emulsion, rather than diluting with a lighter, more volatile paraffinic solvent. "No solvent" is a sales argument for Anchorseal, but their C₁₃-C₁₄ will evaporate too.

The LP I have is just like the LP you would see in stores for candles. It is fairly thin and flows like water.  I believe the idea with Anchorseal having an emulsion is its stickability.  Straight LP would be too thin to hold long enough to absorb properly. Picture a freshly cut tree log laying on its side. The ends of the log get a few applications to seal if from drying. We use Anchorseal and the final result produces a fairly transparent yet viseable white film, I suspect the slack wax remains after the water absorbs/evaporates. From my research I believe slack wax is very think substance. I would think the LP we have would perform the same sealing although I suspect not as long lasting but needs to stick either way.

You state is also has a polymer. Where did you locate this info?

Again.. Am I barking up the wrong tree trying to make this thin LP into and Anchorseal kind of product?

Thanks
Pete

[HurleyByrd]

I think you should search in patent database, here is one suggestion; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_dodecyl_sulfate
I wonder C13 has a bp. 235°C is that really useful to treat wood?

The SDS is a great find. Inexpensive and readily available to the layman. I think your question regarding evaporating after use is a very viable question. Only some real world application tests would answer that for our application/needs.

Thanks for the info
Pete

[rolnor]

I think your parafin has aprox. same bp. as diesel; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_fuel
Diesel is volatile so it will not protect wood for very long?

[Enthalpy]

Yes, water and C₁₄ evaporate faster than the needed protection time, so I expect other components of Anchorseal to remain as a film. I read "polymer" somewhere in Anchorseal description, but this is quite a vague word that applies also to cellulose and many compounds. The goal is supposedly the same as your tar.

Emulsion would make a thick sauce of two thin liquids, yes. For viscosity, my proposal is to dilute the solid film-making material in less solvent (turpentine).

An existing emulsion that leaves a solid residue is latex, a cheap natural product of forests (maybe not the forest next to your home)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latex
it leaves a very waterproof film. That looks cheap, simple, acceptable by customers.

Some sex shops sell a liquid that leaves a solid rubber film. I don't know the composition, but it may inspire you.

Marc Schaefer, aka Enthalpy

[HurleyByrd]

Yes, water and C₁₄ evaporate faster than the needed protection time..
.. my proposal is to dilute the solid film-making material in less solvent...
... emulsion that leaves a solid residue is latex...
Marc Schaefer, aka Enthalpy

Latex (as in latex paints) are oftentimes used as an end grain protection. It works great, like painting one's home, but the issue is.. when the sawyer goes to cut the log into boards, they are unable to see the grain pattern.  I think Anchorseals Slack Wax (and correct me if I am wrong - Slack Wax is a solid at room temps) needs to be made into a slurry with water, AKA: emulsion and once applied, the water evaps and the translucent wax remains.

I think everyone is correct.... I AM barking up the wrong tree. The paraffin I have can be used for a lot of other things and I believe it will readily burn in a #2 Fuel Oil furnace.. if it comes to that.  It would be a sham to do so.. as turning it into a commercial grade parts cleaner is simple, easy and makes a valuable product.

Thanks to all who added their highly values two cents.
Pete