Oxidized vs Non-Oxidized PE Wax: Which to Use and When
Oxidized vs non-oxidized PE wax: what oxidation adds to the wax, why polarity matters, and which type performs better in which application. Plus what acid value means in practice.
2026-08-20 · 6 min read
This is the first distinction you will meet when buying PE wax: oxidized or non-oxidized? There is a price difference and a performance difference, and a wrong choice is usually interpreted as "the wax did not work", when the problem may lie not in the wax but in the choice of type.
The chemical difference
Non-oxidized PE wax consists of pure hydrocarbon chains and is non-polar. It interacts weakly with water, with polar pigment surfaces and with metal surfaces.
Oxidized PE wax is produced by controlled oxidation; carboxyl (–COOH) groups are added to the chain and the wax becomes polar. The strength of this polarity is measured by the acid value (ASTM D1386) and is typically in the range of 14–30 mg KOH/g.
What changes in practice
| Property | Oxidized | Non-oxidized |
|---|---|---|
| Pigment wetting | Very good | Weak |
| Dispersion aid | Strong | Limited |
| Emulsifiability | Yes | No |
| Adhesion to metal and polar surfaces | Good | Weak |
| Water repellency | Low | High |
| Electrical insulation | Low | High |
| Pure lubrication | Medium | Strong |
Where oxidized is used
- Color and black masterbatch: Wetting the pigment agglomerate is a precondition for dispersion. In formulations with high pigment loadings, the oxidized type is effectively mandatory.
- PVC processing: Thanks to its polarity, it partly performs both internal and external lubrication and simplifies the formulation.
- Water-based emulsions: In polishes, furniture care products and textile finishing.
- Paper and cardboard bonding: Improves adhesion to polar surfaces.
Where non-oxidized is used
- Pure lubrication: Mold release, surface slip, anti-blocking.
- Applications that need water repellency: Packaging coatings, moisture barriers.
- Compounds that need electrical insulation: Cable jackets and insulating materials.
- Hot-melt adhesives: On non-polar surfaces and for viscosity adjustment.
What should the acid value be?
A higher acid value means stronger polarity, but higher is not always better. A very high acid value can cause stability problems and a risk of metal corrosion in some systems. The best way to find the right range for your application is by trials; as a starting point, a medium-level type (about 15–20 mg KOH/g) is a good reference.
Using both together
Some formulations use both types together: the oxidized wax takes care of dispersion while the non-oxidized wax provides external lubrication. This combination works well especially in highly filled PVC and masterbatch formulations.
