What Is Turpentine?
Turpentine is an essential oil obtained through the steam distillation of Pinaceae plant resin. Found in approximately 15% of fresh pine resin, its composition varies by pine species. American turpentine, for example, contains 50-60% α-pinene and 25-35% β-pinene, along with other terpenes.
This colorless or pale yellow liquid is characterized by its distinct aroma and pungent taste. Insoluble in water but slightly soluble in alcohol, turpentine solidifies upon air exposure, highlighting its volatility and flammability.
Typically extracted from pine or cedar resin, it can also be derived as a byproduct from wood or paper mills.
Uses of Turpentine
As a naturally volatile oil, turpentine serves in various applications, including preservatives, fragrances, solvents, and pharmaceuticals, besides its use in paints and lacquers production.
1. Preservative
Applied to wood and wood products, turpentine prevents insect damage and decay, finding use in maritime and railway applications.
2. Fragrance
Its strong fragrance makes turpentine a preferred choice for pine scenting.
3. Solvent
As a solvent, turpentine is essential for oil painting and manufacturing oil-based products like paints, lacquers, and adhesives.
4. Pharmaceutical Products
Historically used for treating wounds and inflammation, turpentine now serves as a skin irritant and disinfectant in medical formulations.
Properties of Turpentine
With a high volatility, turpentine vaporizes readily at ambient conditions. It oxidizes over time, becoming viscous and eventually solidifying, necessitating careful long-term storage.
Boiling at approximately 155°C with a specific gravity of about 0.87, turpentine is insoluble in water yet soluble in alcohol and ether. Its flammability requires careful handling near flames.
The oil’s pine-like scent primarily derives from α-pinene, β-pinene, and limonene compounds.
Structure of Turpentine
Turpentine’s specific makeup varies with the tree’s growing conditions, comprising mainly monoterpene hydrocarbons like pinene and camphene. Monoterpenes, consisting of two isoprene units, form the chemical backbone of turpentine, symbolized as C10H16.
Pinene, turpentine’s primary component, features a structure of a six-membered ring fused with a four-membered ring, existing as “α-pinene” and “β-pinene” structural isomers.
Other Information on Turpentine
How Is Turpentine Produced?
Distillation from the Pinaceae tree’s resin remains the primary method for turpentine production, following these steps:
- Extracting resin from the tree.
- Heating and distilling the resin to derive turpentine.
The yield from raw materials varies by resin type and tree species, with some turpentine also produced from wood processing byproducts.
While pine oil may result from distillation residue, modern turpentine production also employs waste from paper mills and wood plants. Chemical synthesis, however, is not viable due to turpentine’s complex composition, thus it is predominantly harvested naturally.