Insects and Society

Shellac

Shellac is made from a resinous secretion of the small scale insect Laccifer lacca. This species is in the order Homoptera, superfamily Coccoidea, family Kerridae and occurs in Asia.

The twigs of the trees in which the insects live become coated with lac. Workers harvest the twigs and refine the lac. The Tolaram Overseas Corporation has some interesting information on shellac production.

Below is a long list of uses for lac, including use as a wood finish, as a coating for pharmaceutical pills, as a binder for mascara, and a coating for jelly beans (source: Samar Singh Jayaswal Group, Calcutta, India.)

In your Learning Journal, note one or two products that you have used or eaten that were made from the insect secretion shellac. Did you know this at the time? Would you use/eat it again? If it was something you ate, do you think it is better or worse than Jell-O?

ADHESIVES

  • Additives to special adhesives - Gasket Shellac/ Wood Adhesive/ Etc.

ABRASIVES

  • Binder for additive for abrasive products - grinding wheels, stones, belts, etc.

AMMUNITION/ PYROTECHNICS/ EXPLOSIVES

  • Binder for matches and ammunitions
  • Coating for magnesia to provide waterproofing encapsulation

CONFECTIONERY/FOOD PRODUCTS

Oranges, lemons and apples are coated in the producing countries by using shellac to extend the shelf life of the product and giving it a shine which other natural products cannot. Sweets are coated with shellac to achieve a high gloss and a hard surface and also for protection against moisture.

  • Coating for confection, chewing gums, marzipan, chocolate nutties, jelly beans, etc.
  • Coating for coffee beans
  • Binder for food marking ink and stamping ink
  • Binder for egg coating
  • Barrier coating for processed food

COSMETICS

  • Hairsprays
  • Hair lacquer
  • Additive to hair shampoo
  • Binder for Mascara
  • Additive for nail lacquer

ELECTRICAL/ ELECTRONICS

  • Binder for lamp cement
  • Binder for insulation material
  • Additive for moulding compounds
  • Mask coating for printing plates
  • Adhesive for silicon cells/solar cells
  • Coating for spark plugs

FRUITS/ PLANTS/ VEGETABLES

  • Coating for oranges, lemons, apples, avocados, tomatoes, dried flowers, etc.

LEATHER

  • Leather auxillaries
  • Hat stiffening agent

LACQUER/ COATINGS/ WOOD FINISHING/ POLISH

  • Binder for wood coating and wood stains
  • Coating for wooden toys
  • Filter/sealer for porous surfaces and cracks
  • Antique frames for painting and canvases
  • Wood polish ("French polish")
  • Furniture polishing and finishing agent

MISCELLANEOUS

  • Coating for seeds and special fertilizer

PHARMACEUTICALS

Shellac is used as a coating for tablets when a delayed dissolving in the intestine ("slow release") is required.

  • Coating for pills, tablets and gel-caps
  • Barrier Coating for vitamins
  • Coating for controlled release preparations

PLASTICS

  • Primer for plastic parts and films
  • Additive to moulding compound
  • Crosslinking agent for PU-Coating, PU-Forms, epoxy resins

PAINTS/ PRINTING INK

  • Binder for India ink
  • Flexographic printing ink
  • Gravure printing ink

RUBBER

  • Additive for natural rubber and SBR (styrene-butadiene rubber, a synthetic rubber)

TEXTILES

  • Textile auxillaries
  • Felt hat stiffening agent
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Updated 2007-10-12 15:24