I've read somewhere that a 'GEL WAX' like substance can be made of 95% mineral oil and 5% polymer resin. This resin is a powder that, when mixed with the mineral oil, transforms it to a more 'solid state'.
This final 'solid state' is then heat melted & end prod. resembles 'transparent soap' or 'solid gel'.

Can somebody pls. elaborate on this reaction between the 2 ingredients - is there heating required or adding of other ingredients etc,etc

Stef.

Stef,

I didn't know what Gel Wax you were referencing, but I poked around a bit using the key words mineral oil / polymer resin, and Google pointed me here:

http://www.rusticescentuals.com/aboutgels.html

Which is a candle making site, discussing gel candles. It says that the gel candles are made with the mix you posted. They say a company called Penreco has the patent on the mix.

So I went to their site. They do make it, but no joy finding if there is heating involved in the mix. (but I only spent a few minutes there)

http://www.penreco.com/index.asp

So I did a patent search and read the full text of the gel wax patent.

http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/6471731-fulltext.html

Here is a possible relevent quote:

"mixing the wax and the polymeric material to form a candle composition; and forming a candle from the candle composition, wherein the candle is characterized as having a phase transition temperature of about 35° C. or higher;"

*Shrugs* Thats all I got in the time I had to look. No personal experience with it.

Best of luck