Description
Gum Rosin is a natural product from the distillation of gum-resin extracted from Pinus elliottii var. elliottii, known as Gum Rosin or simply Rosin. Its main components are isomers of Pimaran and Abietan acids.
Gum Rosin can be used as an acid using the presence of the carboxyl radical (–COOH). Its molecules have a phenanthrenic nucleus with unsaturation that allows the exploration of different types of chemical reactions.
Rosin is semi-transparent and varies in color from yellow to black. At room temperature, rosin is brittle, but it melts at stove-top temperature. Also, gum rosin is very flammable, burning with a smoky flame, so care should be taken when melting it. The product is soluble in alcohol, ether, benzene, and chloroform.
Applications
Manufacture of alkyd resins, hard resins, rosin esters and depilatory waxes, also being used in the adhesives, bubble gum, soaps, fabrics, rubbers, paints and soft drinks industries, among others.
Curiosity
Gum rosin has been used in the analogue study of magma flow and degassing in volcanic conduits.
For these studies gum rosin is mixed with a volatile organic solvent: gum rosin is the analogue liquid rock and the organic solvent the analogue volatile (H20, C02).
Gum rosin organic solvent solutions used experimentally are liquid at room temperature, compared to “pure” gum rosin being a solid.
When the ambient pressure is reduced below that of the saturated vapour pressure of the volatile organic solvent above the solution, saturation has been exceeded and active degassing occurs.
Therefore, gum rosin organic solvent solutions at room temperature (200C) and low pressure become analogous to a volatile saturated magma at much higher temperature (i.e., 800 - 13000C) and pressure.
Melting Point: 100-150°C
Flash Point: 187°C
Solubility: Solubility in water: none
Density: 1.07 g/cm3