I used to wonder, what is petroleum and what things can be extracted from it?
Until I realized petroleum as the source of innumerable fossil energies!
All the natural gases, crude oil, gasoline, fuels, and many more without which you cannot do a single day are extracted from petroleum. Vaseline is one of them that you need to keep your skin moist and hydrated.
Its hazardous points are also considered for the day-to-day usage of petroleum, such as you may ask, is Vaseline flammable?
Vaselines are highly non-flammable. The main reason behind that is the absence of oxygen, heat, and fuel that constitute fire. Therefore, the contact of vaseline with very high temperatures causes only the release of some flammable gases.
We will be marching more towards details!
Why is vaseline not flammable?
Vaseline is not flammable as it doesn’t burn quickly when exposed to a fire. Vaseline is the net product of petroleum. Petroleum is the natural and non-renewable substance that we get in the form of mines underneath the soil. We get petroleum from the mixture of different mineral oils and waxes. And vaseline is a product made out of pure jelly of petroleum.
The reasons behind vaseline being not flammable are as follows:
- Vaseline is the magical component in nature, which is naturally non-flammable. Unfortunately, people mistake them by considering them highly volatile due to the oil content, but they are opposed.
- The raw product of the vaseline is petroleum which doesn’t tend to burn in the fire. So, the outcome of the oil that is vaseline, also bears the same characteristics.
- The flashpoint of the vaseline is also not suitable for the product to catch on fire.
Can you use vaseline to start a fire?
No, you cannot use non-flammable components like vaseline ever to start a fire. Non-flammable means the tendency not to catch on fire easily and quickly. And, the reasons for an item being incombustible are also many.
Fire can be lighted in the presence of its three main vital components. The absence of any of those won’t allow the fire to catch on.
So, the presence of the three vital components of the fire should be considered for the vaseline to know whether it can start a fire or not. The scenario of starting a fire using vaselines are:
- Fire can never promote fire as it doesn’t contain all the three essential elements that constitute a fire.
- Instead, vaselines can mitigate fire as it is incombustible and can be used as fire insulators.
- The components of the fire are oxygen, heat, and fuel, which cannot be fulfilled by the vaseline alone. The vaseline can only act as a very long-lasting fuel to work for the duration of the fire.
- The lack of proper supply of oxygen to fire in the presence of the vaseline is responsible for the fire not catching on.
Also Read: Check out our other article about Does Olive Oil Catch On Fire?
What is the flashpoint of vaseline?
Within the flashpoint of the vaselines, the idea of the temperature at which it starts to get flammable is exposed. The flashpoint of vaseline is something very much different than the regular flashpoints of other materials. This is because it doesn’t get essential for the vaseline to catch on fire once it heats the flashpoint.
For the betterment of the understanding, the idea about the flashpoint is briefly described below:
- The general flashpoint of the vaseline is near about 220° celsius. This is a moderate temperature for any substance to burn off. Almost many components found in nature catches on fire at such a temperature or even less.
- But, the difference applies for the vaseline as it is a magical compound of nature that doesn’t by-born catch on fire. So, at such a temperature, the vaseline can only start to decompose but not catch fire.
- After the decomposition and reaching a temperature of more than 400° Celcius, vaselines release some gases that work as the fuel for the fire. But, the vaseline itself doesn’t catch fire. This is the reason for which the flashpoint of the vaseline is considered within this range.
Are our skincare products flammable?
Yes, skincare products can contain various chemical substances, which are highly combustible and highly sensitive to fire. Most of the chemical substances are made using lower flashpoints that help them in burning on the fire. The reasons for the skincare products being flammable are mentioned below:
- Skincare products can contain alcohol most of the time. Alcohol is direct fuel for the fire to burn. Alcohol provides the revolutionary potential to the fire and ultimately causes ignition.
- The lower the flashpoint, the more is the flammability of any object. Skincare products are the owner of such lower flashpoints, which are very easy to be achieved and cause ignition.
- Skincare products are made with specific expiry. Once the date is over, they become more hazardous and can catch fire more easily.
Can you burn vaseline?
No, vaseline cannot be caught on fire, nor can it be burned quickly. Vaseline is naturally non-flammable, and they do not react with the fire and yield any outcome. The causes for vaseline to not catch on fire and burn are given below:
- Vaseline is incombustible because it can be used as vaseline cotton ball fire starters to start the fire. However, creating a fire in this method doesn’t apply that vaselines can be burned. Instead, the opposite things happen in that.
- When heat is applied to the cotton balls, it decomposes the vaseline and turns it into flammable gases.
- The decomposed liquid portion of the vaseline gets saturated with the cotton ball and protects it from burning while providing the fuel for the fire.
Also Read: Is Canola Oil Highly Flammable?
Do Vaseline and oxygen cause fires?
Yes, the thing to be wondered is that vaseline can cause heat and fire when reacted with oxygen. As told before, the three elements, fuel, oxygen, and heat, are required to recipe a fire. All these are fulfilled during the reaction between vaseline and oxygen. The process in which the combination can cause fires are:
- Vaseline works as the fuel for the fire to burn on. Without these, a fire can never continue to burn.
- Oxygen helps by increasing the rate of combustion, which is the key to ignition. At the same time, oxygen itself is not combustible in the fire.
- The external heat applied through a lighter or another alternative finally turns on the fire, and the rest of the job is left for the fuel and oxygen.
Can we heat vaseline?
Yes, we can heat vaseline as anything special would not happen to it. Vaseline can withstand high temperatures. The circumstances of heating the vaseline are:
- Vaselines won’t react to the heat and yield any product.
- Hitting a temperature more than 400° Celsius can decompose the vaseline and turns it into a non-flammable liquid solution.
- A further temperature can cause the release of flammable gases from the vaseline.
Does vaseline burn skin?
Yes and no at the same time! The effects of the vaseline on your skin depending on how you use it. A quick guide about the impact of vaseline on your skin are:
The brighter sides:
Vaseline is great for taking care of your skin and keeping them smooth and nourished. It also works in healing as it provides moisture which is an excellent shelter for wounds.
The negative impacts:
Vaseline can cause burning if applied on specific areas like inside the nose—the reaction of oxygen with the vaseline results in this burning due to the heat rise.
Is Petroleum Jelly and Vaseline the Same Thing and Flammable?
The flammability of petroleum jelly has been a topic of confusion for many. The truth is that petroleum jelly and Vaseline are the same thing, and they are equally flammable with oxygen use. This means that caution should be taken when using these products around open flames or other sources of ignition. It’s best to store them in cool, dry places away from fire hazards.
Conclusion
Vaseline is extracted from solid hydrocarbons of petroleum that remain in the form of wax and mineral oils. So, vaseline itself carries the non-flammable nature of the petroleum and doesn’t yield anything in the flame. You can see no difference if you ever burn them into the fire!
