Tung oil is a product of extracting oil from the seeds of Vernicia fordii. Farmers cultivated it as a wood finish about 2,500 years ago. The oil in the tung tree contains numerous fatty acids, such as 82.0 percent Alpha-eleostearic acid, 8.5 percent Linoleic acid, 5.5 percent Palmitic acid, and 4.0 percent Oleic acid.
Where did Tung oil come from?
Its country of origin is China, where it got its name from tong or tung. According to the writings of Chinese philosopher Confucius, tung oil became in use from 500 to 400 B.C. Its primary purpose was for waterproofing ships and boats. What is Tung Oil? Tung oil is a product of extracting oil from the seeds of Vernicia fordii.
What fatty acids are in tung tree oil?
The oil in the tung tree contains numerous fatty acids, such as 82.0 percent Alpha-eleostearic acid, 8.5 percent Linoleic acid, 5.5 percent Palmitic acid, and 4.0 percent Oleic acid. These fatty acids contain a chain of linked carbon atoms with conjugated double bonds.
Does tung oil dry?
Drying oils like tung oil do not dry and stay as oil after long years of use. They undergo polymerization to create an irreversible bond to convert from oil to a cross-linked solid that stops the water molecules from penetrating the wood grain. Early Chinese shipbuilders used tung oil to waterproof the boats.