Hello September 2025
Date: September 1, 2025
Time: 12:00 am
Hello, fellow Scientists of Scent!
Welcome to September 1, 2025. This month, we're exchanging our cloaks for lab coats and delving into the hard science that makes our candles so much more than just a pretty glow. Forget mystical incantations—the true magic is in the molecules!
The Wick: A Masterclass in Capillary Dynamics
At the heart of every candle is the wick, a finely braided structure meticulously engineered for a single purpose: fuel delivery. Through the process of capillary action, a phenomenon governed by intermolecular forces and surface tension, the molten soy wax is drawn up the wick against gravity. The wick's porosity and diameter are critical variables we control to ensure an optimal fuel-to-air ratio at the combustion zone. A perfectly sized wick guarantees a stable flame, minimizing both tunneling and excess soot production.
The Wax: A Hydrocarbon Phase-Change System
Our choice of 100% soy wax is a deliberate scientific decision. As a compound of long-chain fatty acids derived from vegetable oils, soy wax provides a clean and renewable fuel source. The combustion process is initiated by a phase change: the solid wax melts into a liquid and then, under the intense heat of the flame, vaporizes into a gaseous state. It is in this gaseous phase that the true reaction begins.
The Combustion Zone: An Exothermic Reaction
The visible flame is a plasma of superheated gases, the result of a rapid and exothermic chemical reaction. This is where the gaseous wax hydrocarbons react with oxygen from the air. The complete combustion of these molecules yields two primary, and non-toxic, byproducts: Carbon Dioxide () and Water Vapor (). Incomplete combustion, often caused by a wick that is too long or a restricted oxygen supply, results in the formation of solid carbon particles—the black substance we know as soot. Our candle designs are calibrated to minimize this, ensuring a clean and efficient burn.
Scent Throw: The Principle of Volatility & Diffusion
The phenomenon of a candle's scent filling a room is a study in vapor pressure and molecular diffusion. Fragrance oils are complex mixtures of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). When the candle's wax pool heats up, the kinetic energy of the fragrance molecules increases, causing them to evaporate more rapidly. These gas-phase molecules then disperse throughout the room's atmosphere via diffusion, traveling from an area of high concentration (the candle) to low concentration (the rest of the room). The scent's potency, or "hot throw," is a direct result of the fragrance load in the wax and the efficiency of this thermal diffusion process.
Our Scientific Method at The Alchemist Corner
Every candle we create is a product of rigorous scientific inquiry. We don't just pour wax; we formulate. We test burn rates, optimize fragrance loads, and analyze the chemistry of our materials to ensure every candle meets our exacting standards for performance and sustainability. Our lab in Indianapolis is dedicated to this pursuit, and our commitment to using soy wax is rooted in a desire for both a high-performing product and an eco-conscious approach.
Stay Curious, and Keep Experimenting!
We hope this deep dive into candle science has been as fascinating for you as it is for us. Next time, we'll be discussing the fascinating field of olfactory perception and how our brains translate chemical signals into the scents we love.
Until then, keep those Bunsen burners glowing!
Sincerely,
The Researchers at The Alchemist Corner
Your Candle Scientists in Indianapolis, Indiana