Spermaceti (from Latin sperma, seed, and cetus, whale) is a wax present in the head cavities of the Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus) and in the blubber of all whales. Spermaceti is extracted from whale oil by crystallisation at 6 °C, when treated by pressure and a chemical solution of caustic alkali. Spermaceti forms brilliant white crystals that are hard but oily to the touch, and are devoid of taste or smell, making it very useful as an ingredient in cosmetics, leatherworking and lubricants. The substance was also used in making candles of a standard photometric value, in the dressing of fabrics, and as a pharmaceutical excipient, especially in cerates and ointments. Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ... Wax has traditionally referred to a substance that is secreted by bees (beeswax) and used by them in constructing their honeycombs. ... Binomial name Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758 Sperm Whale range (in blue) The Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus) is the largest of all toothed whales and is the largest toothed animal alive, measuring up to 18 m (60 ft) long. ... Remains of seventeenth century blubber cauldrons at the abandoned Dutch settlement of Smeerenburg in Svalbard, Norway This article is about the body tissue. ... Whale oil is the oil obtained from the blubber of various species of whales of the genus Balaena, or Nooraena, as , Greenland or right whale (northern whale-oil), (southern whale-oil), Balaenoptera longimana, Balaenoptera borealis (Finback oil, Finner whale-oil, Humpback oil). ... In chemistry, an alkali (from Arabic: al-qaly) is a specific type of base, formed as a carbonate, hydroxide or other ionic salt of an alkali metal or alkali earth metal element. ... A collection of lit candles on ornate candlesticks A close-up image of a candle showing the wick and the various regions of the flame. ... Photometry is the science of measurement of light, in terms of its perceived brightness to the human eye. ... An ointment is a viscous semisolid preparation used topically on a variety of body surfaces. ...

Spermaceti is insoluble in water, very slightly soluble in boiling alcohol, but easily dissolved in ether, chloroform, and carbon disulfide. Spermaceti consists principally of cetyl palmitate (ester of cetyl alcohol and palmitic acid), C₁₅H₃₁COO-C₁₆H₃₃. Ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol or grain alcohol, is a flammable, colorless, mildly toxic chemical compound with a distinctive perfume-like odor, and is the alcohol found in alcoholic beverages. ... Diethyl ether, also known as ether and ethoxyethane, is a clear, colorless, and highly flammable liquid with a low boiling point and a characteristic smell. ... Chloroform, also known as trichloromethane and methyl trichloride, is a chemical compound with formula CHCl3. ... Carbon disulfide (CS2) is a colorless liquid with a pleasant odor that is like the smell of chloroform. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Palmitic acid. ... Cetyl alcohol, also known as 1-hexadecanol, is a solid organic compound and a member of the alcohol class of compounds. ... Palmitic acid, also called hexadecanoic acid, is one of the most common saturated fatty acids found in animals and plants. ...

A botanical alternative to spermaceti is a derivative of jojoba oil, jojoba esters, C₂₀H₄₁COO-C₂₀H₄₁ a solid wax which is chemically and physically very similar to spermaceti and may be used in many of the same applications. Jojoba esters are the long-chain esters present in the mature seeds of the jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) plant, the hydrogenation product thereof, or the interesterification product thereof. ...

Esters of cetyl alcohol and jojoba oil are used as a substitute for spermaceti. General formula of a carboxylate ester. ... Cetyl alcohol, also known as 1-hexadecanol, is a solid organic compound and a member of the alcohol class of compounds. ... Jojoba Oil is the liquid wax produced in the seed of the Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) plant. ...

References

• David R. Carrier, Stephen M. Deban and Jason Otterstrom, The face that sank the Essex: potential function of the spermaceti organ in aggression, Journal of Experimental Biology 205:1755–1763, 2002.

• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.