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:Some
of the main uses of shellac in different fields
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Shellac dissolves in wide variety of alkaline or
rapidly drying alcoholic solvents but is resistant
to a number of other solvents particularly
hydrocarbons.
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Its films shows excellent adhesion to a wide variety
of surfaces, possessing high gloss, hardness and
strength.
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Shellac is powerful bonding material with low
thermal conductivity and a small coefficient of
expansion. Its thermal plasticity and capacity of
absorbing large amounts of fillers are noteworthy.
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Its electrical properties include high dielectric
strength, low deelectric constant and characteristic
freedom from tracking. |
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It
is resistant to the action of ultraviolet rays.
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Shellac
is non-toxic.
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Pharmaceuticals
- Shellac
is used to coat enteric pills so that they do not
dissolve in the stomach, but in the lower intestine,
which alleviates upset stomachs. Its also used as a
coating on pills to " time release "
medication.
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Confectionery
- Shellac is used to provide protective candy
coatings or glazes on candies like Reese's pieces,
because of this unique ability to provide a high gloss
in relatively thin coatings ( like a French Polish). it
was used at one time on M & M's. It is approved by the
FDA as a food safe coating when dissolved in pure
ethanol ( not denatured ).
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Hats
- Shellac is used to stiffen felt used to
make hats. It allows the makers to shape the felt into
brims, bowl shapes, etc.
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Food
Coatings -
Because
of its FDA approval, shellac is used to coat apples and
other fruits to make them shinier.
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Electrical
- Shellac
mixed with marble dust is used by lamp manufacturers to
glue the metal base to glass incandescent
bulbs.
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Other
uses for shellac are in the manufacture of grinding
wheels ( itallows the abrasive particles to break off at
the low heat generated by thegrinding process, thus
exposing new, fresh abrasive particles), leather
finishing and painting (shellac pigmented with white
titanium dioxide is widely used by painters as a stiang
sealer, wall board primer, and know and sap sealer on
wood).
Other former uses for shellac aer electrical insulators,
as a glue (it bonds glass and metal surprisingly will),
phonograph records (the old 78's were a mixture of
shellac, fillers and lampblack), hair spray, no-rub
floor polishes, and as a finish for bowling alleys (the
weight of the ball dropping on the shellac surface did
crack the finish).
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Uses
of Shellac
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