Synthetic Camphor Specifications

Synthetic camphor is used in the production of cellulose nitrate, polyvinyl chloride and plastics. Its uses lie beyond the industrial, however; the substance plays a role in medicine and antiseptics. Different forms of synthetic camphor are also part of chemical stabilizers. Synthetic camphor is used most commonly in the making of moth balls and anti-mildew products.

The Difference Between Synthetic Camphor and Camphor

• The ancient Greeks and Egyptians used camphor. Derived from camphor wood, it was administered as a drug in the Arabian Peninsula around AD 600. The production of synthetic camphor began in the early 1920s. Mass production of synthetic camphor came from a rosin-derived turpentine oil, which remains the source of synthetically produced camphor as of 2011.

What is Synthetic Camphor?

• Synthetic camphor is a white crystalline bicyclic commonly known for its strong smell, taste and feel on the skin. Applying it produces a cooling sensation. Synthetic camphor also exhibits an extremely flammable property since it derives from crude turpentine oil.

Synthetic Camphor Toxicology

• Synthetic camphor has both the capability to harm and help. In the 1980s, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulated it for potency. It has been discouraged for use as an internal medicine though routinely sold in Chinese health stores as a cure for ailments. In large amounts, it can cause seizures and irritability.

Physical and Chemical Properties

• Camphor is insoluble in water but dissolves in alcohol, ether, chloroform, benzene, carbon disulphide and other solvents. For this reason, it is often combined with other ingredients for its uses rather than as a standalone compound. Synthetic camphor melts at 176 degrees Celsius and boils at 204 degrees Celsius.