Slack Wax LMO (Light Machine Oil)

About This Product

Slack Wax LMO, or Light Machine Oil slack wax, is a semi-solid petroleum wax produced as a byproduct of the solvent dewaxing process during lubricating oil refining. Its scientific classification falls under petroleum-derived hydrocarbon waxes (CAS No. 64742-61-6), composed predominantly of straight-chain and branched saturated hydrocarbons with carbon numbers in the C20–C50 range. LMO is the lightest fraction in the slack wax family, yielding a near water-white to very pale straw-yellow colour on the ASTM D-1500 scale (maximum L1.0), reflecting its low aromatic content and high paraffin purity. The commercial production of slack wax dates to the 1920s, when refiners discovered that chilling lubricating oil distillates allowed the wax fraction to crystallise and be separated by filtration. The LMO fraction was among the earliest to be industrially refined, given its low melting point and relative ease of processing. Pertamina's Cilacap refinery in Indonesia became one of the most prominent global sources of graded slack wax, formalising the LMO, SPO, MMO, and DAO classification system now used across international B2B trade. With a melting point of 47–53°C and a tightly controlled oil content of 10–25% in Bio Green Wax's customised specification, Slack Wax LMO is significantly cleaner than standard market grades. This narrow oil content band ensures greater consistency in downstream processing and end-product performance. Its viscosity of 3.1–4.2 cSt at 100°C makes it the most fluid grade at elevated temperatures, ensuring easy handling, blending, and application. An interesting fact: LMO at this oil content level is a direct precursor to fully refined paraffin wax and can serve as a premium deoiling feedstock with lower processing energy requirements than heavier grades. Industrial applications span candle manufacturing as a paraffin extender and base, matchstick and firelighter impregnation, MDF and particleboard waterproofing, rubber compounding as a processing and anti-ozonant aid, paper and board moisture-barrier coatings, textile lubricants, and general-purpose wax emulsion blending.