The article contains sections titled: 1. Introduction 1.1. History of Waxes and Their Applications 1.2. Definition 1.3. Classification 1.4. Properties and Uses 1.5. World Market Volume for Waxes 1.6. International Wax Organizations 2. Recent Natural Waxes 2.1. Introduction 2.2. Vegetable Waxes 2.2.1. Carnaúba Wax 2.2.2. Candelilla Wax 2.2.3. Ouricury Wax 2.2.4. Sugarcane Wax 2.2.5. Retamo Wax 2.2.6. Jojoba Oil 2.2.7. Other Vegetable Waxes 2.3. Animal Waxes 2.3.1. Beeswax 2.3.2. Other Insect Waxes 2.3.3. Wool Wax 3. Montan Wax 3.1. Formation and Occurrence 3.2. Extraction 3.3. Properties and Composition 3.4. Refining and Derivatization 3.4.1. Deresinification 3.4.2. Bleaching 3.4.3. Derivatization 3.5. Uses and Economic Aspects 4. Petroleum Waxes 4.1. Introduction 4.2. Macrocrystalline Waxes (Paraffin Waxes) 4.2.1. Chemical Composition and General Properties 4.2.2. Division into Product Classes 4.2.3. Occurrence of Raw Materials and Processing 4.2.3.1. Dewaxing Lubricating Oil Distillates 4.2.3.2. Deoiling Slack Waxes 4.2.3.3. Refining Deoiled Slack Waxes 4.2.4. Storage, Transportation, Commercial Forms, and Producers 4.2.5. Quality Specifications and Analysis 4.2.6. Uses 4.3. Microcrystalline Waxes (Microwaxes) 4.3.1. Chemical Composition and General Properties 4.3.2. Division into Product Classes 4.3.3. Occurrence of Raw Materials and Processing 4.3.4. Commercial Products and Producers 4.3.5. Quality Specifications and Analysis 4.3.6. Uses 4.4. Legal Aspects 4.5. Ecology 4.6. Economic Aspects 4.7. Candles 5. Fischer ‐ Tropsch Paraffins 6. Polyolefin Waxes 6.1. Production and Properties 6.1.1. Polyethylene Waxes by High‐Pressure Polymerization 6.1.1.1. Production 6.1.1.2. Properties 6.1.2. Copolymeric Polyethylene Waxes by High‐Pressure Polymerization 6.1.3. Polyolefin Waxes by Ziegler ‐ Natta Polymerization 6.1.3.1. Production 6.1.3.2. Properties 6.1.4. Degradation Polyolefin Waxes 6.1.4.1. Production 6.1.4.2. Properties 6.1.5. Polar Polyolefin Waxes 6.2. Uses 6.2.1. Nonpolar Polyolefin Waxes 6.2.2. Polar Polyolefin Waxes 6.3. Economic Importance 7. Toxicology

No abstract