Essential oil flashpoints

[snpisonero]

Can someone help me understand flashpoints? From what I read, the flashpoint is the temperature at which the oil is flammable.

I have been using rosemary and disregarding its flashpoint which is 105. I am using CPOP. The oil is generally mixed in at about 130 degrees, then baked at 150. The scent has taken with no issue.

Can someone explain to me why I need to keep the temp below flashpoint? Have I just got lucky?

Thanks everyone!!

 

[MorpheusPA]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_point

Wikipedia has a pretty good explanation.

While I wouldn't take rosemary FO over 105° all by itself, in soap or any other dilution things differ a bit. You have lots of surrounding material to keep the rosemary from boiling off into the air and igniting. Not that I'd push it too far, but 150 degrees in soap isn't going to be a problem for normal levels of use of rosemary.

I've also cooked my rosemary scented soaps in the oven with no problems (and mine's gas) at 170.

 

[snpisonero]

Nice.... So providing it does not ignite, there are no drawbacks to heating the oil above the flashpoint?

 

[MorpheusPA]

Nice.... So providing it does not ignite, there are no drawbacks to heating the oil above the flashpoint?

Mixed with the soap, I'm not even sure it could ignite in a sustained flame. The vapor density wouldn't get that high--you'll lose the EO/FO from the surface, but the stuff in the soap can't get out very easily as the soap is in the way.

I never worry about flash points unless I'm dealing with a pretty concentrated mix of the stuff. However, you might lose scent if holding the temperature sustained above the evaporation point for long periods, particularly in a liquid or semi-liquid material.