In the current era of energy scarcity, the widespread use of tung oil in agriculture, construction, and chemical industries has become an inevitable trend. Although tung oil has a wide range of uses, it must be used with caution due to its inherent toxicity.
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【Methods of Collecting Tung Oil】
Tung oil is a mixture of fatty acid triglycerides. Tung oil and wood oil have red, golden, or yellow colors, and are excellent drying oils.
Tung oil is an industrial vegetable oil that is obtained by mechanically pressing and processing harvested tung tree fruits. The entire process is carried out using physical methods. Tung trees are perennial woody trees that grow in mountainous areas far from cities.
They have strong resistance to diseases and pests and do not require fertilizers or pesticides throughout the growth process. Tung oil is a natural vegetable oil that dries quickly and has high temperature and corrosion resistance.
Due to people's increasing pursuit of an eco-friendly lifestyle, the previously popular old craft of mixing and cooking chemically synthesized mature tung oil has gradually been abandoned. Pure mature tung oil is becoming more and more popular.
Usage: Before applying mature tung oil, the wooden object to be oiled should be dry. After each application, wait for the tung oil to completely dry before applying the second coat.
After each use, soak the cotton cloth in tung oil for convenient use next time. If it is exposed to air, it will dry quickly and become hard, making it unusable next time, resulting in waste.
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【Uses of Tung Oil】
Tung oil is an excellent drying vegetable oil with characteristics such as fast drying, light weight, good gloss, strong adhesion, heat resistance, acid resistance, alkali resistance, anti-corrosion, rust prevention, and non-conductivity. It has a wide range of applications.
It is the main raw material for manufacturing paints and inks and is extensively used as waterproof, anti-corrosion, and anti-rust coatings for construction, machinery, weapons, vehicles, fishing equipment, and electrical appliances. It can also be used to make oilcloth, oil paper, soap, pesticides, emetics, and insecticides for agricultural and medical purposes.
Tung oil also has excellent waterproof properties and is widely used in construction, paint, printing (ink), agricultural machinery, and the electronics industry.
With the rapid development of China's economy, the demand for energy is increasing, and the contradiction between energy supply and demand is becoming more prominent. Using tung trees as the main biomass energy as a substitute for traditional energy sources will be an inevitable choice for China. Additionally, with the development of industry, agriculture, fishery, and the improvement of people's living standards, the domestic demand for tung oil will greatly increase.
Tung oil can be divided into raw tung oil and mature tung oil. Raw tung oil is used in medicine and chemical industries, while mature tung oil is processed from raw tung oil and can be used as a substitute for varnish and paint in wood maintenance, indoor wooden floors, wooden ceilings, sauna boards, wooden balcony handrails, outdoor wooden floors, flower racks, wooden houses, pavilions, fences, wooden bridges, boats, seats, and agricultural tools made of wood.
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【Methods of Identifying Tung Oil】
Based on visual judgment, mature tung oil is thicker and has a dark brown color compared to raw tung oil. Mature tung oil can be divided into pure mature tung oil and mixed mature tung oil.
Pure mature tung oil is obtained by roasting and pressing tung tree seeds without adding any chemical components. It is suitable for environmentally friendly and pollution-free decoration, especially for indoor use.
Mixed mature tung oil is a type of varnish. It is prepared by mixing 20% varnish, 20% rosin, and 60% tung oil using a 2:2:6 ratio and heating it to a temperature of 260 degrees. After preparation, the tung oil needs to be filtered before use on wooden objects.
Mixed mature tung oil has a strong odor and a distinct varnish smell. It is produced using a traditional and outdated method, which is gradually being phased out.
This type of mixed oil is easy to identify as it can be drawn into threads, has a higher viscosity, and a darker color. The chemical odor usually disappears after 3-6 months after construction.
The odor of tung oil is not harmful to the human body. The key is whether you are accustomed to the smell. If you do not like the smell, you can wear a mask while working.
(Tung acid and tung tree seeds are toxic, so when using tung oil, it is important to pay attention to ventilation and avoid direct contact with the skin.)
