[I am sure wax can stand alone, but my point is why is a sealant needed in the first place. If that is the case than why not put the sealant over the wax? ]
Wax and Glaze ?Set-up?
Carnauba in today's wax formulas functions mostly as a carrier; it?s used to keep the polymers and oils on your car's surface. When applied to a surface will not adhere properly on its own, solvents and miscible oils are added to enable it to spread evenly to the surface.
Natural and synthetic wax and glazes initially adhere by surface tension; the balance of the adherence process is that it works its way via the carrier system (solvent and / or oils) and the polymers into the microscopic gaps and a valley of the paint film surface, or in the case of a wax over a polymer sealant- the ploymers form a bond, thereby creating a mechanical anchor, a wax doesn?t form a true covalent (molecular) bond to the surface, this is due to its limited polymer content.
An organic wax or glaze cures i.e. form a hard shell over the surface, they are time, temperature and humidity dependent; after sufficient drying times do a quick swipe test with your finger, if no smearing or drag is evident; the residue is ready to be removed.
Bonding
Carnauba, an organic wax; will bond to a cross-linked polymer, conversely if a polymer is applied on top of Carnauba wax the cross-linking / bonding may be compromised.
Although I would not state categorically that a product that is formulated with oils will abort the cross linking or bonding process of a polymer just that the process may not be as complete, and its strength and durability maybe affected. (See also Cross-linking and Adherence)
A non-organic wax or glaze is usually formulated with polymers that form a bond with the paint surface or the polymers in a wax. This bond is not as strong as the molecular bond formed by a polymer sealant
Organic waxes initially adhere by surface tension; the balance of the adherence process is that it works its way via the carrier system (solvent and / or oils) into the microscopic gaps and valleys of the paint film surface thereby creating a mechanical anchor. An organic wax, unlike a polymer, has no chemical interaction (molecular bonding) with paint.
[If wax is so great then why do you need a basecoat as a sealant?]
Why use a wax on top of a polymer sealant?
Some detailers find that a polymer sealant tends have a flat, silvered mirror look. Adding a Carnauba wax to the surface provides depth of shine, gloss, jetting (the so called ?wet look?) and a warmth to the paint surfaces overall look. Bear in mind that how a paint surface ?looks? is very subjective and tends to invoke an emotional reaction rather than a logical one 95% of an applied wax comprises out gassed solvent that is wiped away, whereas 65% of a polymer sealant that is applied remains.
Detailers who prepare show cars will often layer a Carnauba wax on top of a synthetic wax; the synthetic wax acts as a gloss layer, while the carnauba wax adds depth and a wet-looking (jetting) appearance
Polymer sealants
Need a porous surface to bond to, they initially adhere by surface tension and then after a period in which the solvents /oils in the carrier system vaporize (outgas) the polymers cross-link to form a covalent (molecular) bond to the surface. This process usually requires 12-24 hours, which are time and temperature and / or humidity dependent.
Note that drying and curing are two different processes. Drying generally refers to evaporation of the solvent or thinner, whereas curing (cross-linking) refers to polymerization of the binder, which imparts adhesion, binds the pigments together, and strongly influences such properties as gloss potential, exterior durability, flexibility, and toughness.
The majority (70%) of a polymer matrix cross-linking cycle occurs within 30 ? 45 minutes of its initial wipe-on application drying; however it is recommended that a period of 12 - 24 hours is allowed for the cross-linking process to complete, otherwise polymerization and durability may be compromised. Although it should be noted that surface oils or silicone and / or moisture introduced before the cross-linking process is complete will interfere with the bonding of a polymer and will negatively affect its durability
When polymer chains are linked together extensively by chemical cross linking - the formation of covalent bonds between chains; the polymer is harder and more difficult to melt. Curing is required to allow the monomers (polymer building blocks) to attach to the surface and to polymerize into a crystal-clear, impervious film.
It is very important to allow polymers to cure for 12-24 hours after the haze has been wiped off. If the coating is exposed to contamination such as oil, rain, water, cleaners, etc. before it has cross-linked, the contaminants may interfere with the film, preventing the polymer from achieving its maximum performance and durability. A polymer, unlike wax forms a molecular bond with paint once it?s had enough time to cross-linking.
A unique aspect of polyurethane chemistry is that the hydrogen bonding acts as an additional crosslink, but also allows thermoplastic flow, which helps the paint surface to retain its elasticity and its tensile strength to relieve mechanical stress. The basic structure of a polyurethane clear coat features a soft segment (polyol or tetramethylene ether) which gives it flexibility and elasticity. There is also a hard segment (polymerization) that has high urethane density, which gives the coating hardness and tensile strength
Carnauba wax
Carnauba in today's wax formulas functions mostly as a carrier; it?s used to keep the polymers and oils on your car's surface. Only a small portion of your vehicle's shine comes from the wax itself. Carnauba is translucent at best with only minimal light reflection. It is among the hardest of natural waxes, being harder than concrete in its pure form
This sacrificial barrier is all that stands between the environmental contaminants and the paint film surface and this renewable barrier is probably less than 0.1 ? (100 nm, 0.000 4 Mils or 0.000 004 inch) thick. An applied paint protection product is the barrier that provides protection for automotive paintwork besides the clear coat paint.
An organic wax also provides a sacrificial surface that will resist acid (salt brine, bird excrement, acidic rain, etc) better than a polymer, which forms a molecular bond with the paint, whereas a an organic wax forms a semi-hard protective shell (although it lacks durability of a polymer) Each time you wash you remove the top portion of the wax, along with any environmental contaminants.
Extracts from a series of unbiased Detailing Technical Papers, a library of educational materials that has become the #1 reference for car care on the Internet
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