ORIGIN
Shellac is a resinous secretion of tiny insects, called Laccifer Lacca
(coccoidea family) to protect the breeding. These insects live on host-trees
mainly located in India (Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa). Sticklac is the cut
branches incrusted with hardened lac. This product is cleaned of plant wastes
and impurities, washed, sieved, dried and sold as seedlac.
Shellac is only the term used for the refined form of seedlac.
The use of Shellac has been known in India and China for nearly 4000 years. In
Europe Shellac was introduced about 300 years ago for polishing of
musical instrument and furniture. Later uses were for varnishing of ships, for
phonographic records, printing inks and the production of technical
resins…Certain types of applications have disappeared today and have been
replaced by applications in the food and pharmaceutical fields.
DESCRIPTION
Shellac is a resin composed of aliphatic and polyhydroxynic acids.
The molecular weight lies around 1000.
Shellac comes in glossy, fine flakes of light yellow to a dark brown
colour (depending of the quality) It can be waxy (native form) or dewaxed.
Bleached shellacs come as a cream coloured to yellow powder. |
