Linseed oil is extracted from seeds of the flax plant; it is light yellow or amber colored and has a distinct odor. It is widely used for industrial purposes and in some cases is also used as edible oil.
Its main applications are related to its property as a drying oil; a drying oil is one that oxidizes when it comes in to contact with air and forms a solid and tough film. Hence it is used to preserve wood and in paints and as a flooring agent (linoleum); linoleum is solidified linseed oil in combination with wood flour. Linseed oil is also used in varnishes, lacquers, soaps and inks; some other uses of the oil include as an animal feed (oil cakes), for treatment of leather, in sealants like putty and as a lubricant.
Linseed oil that is to be used for industrial purposes often involves various processes like addition of various solvents and metallic elements; industrial linseed oil is marked as boiled or polymerized and is unfit for consumption. Linseed oil used for consumption is extracted by pressing and is generally available as flaxseed oil; it is rich in omega-3 fatty acid which helps in preventing heart disease, inflammatory bowel syndrome and arthritis.
Its main applications are related to its property as a drying oil; a drying oil is one that oxidizes when it comes in to contact with air and forms a solid and tough film. Hence it is used to preserve wood and in paints and as a flooring agent (linoleum); linoleum is solidified linseed oil in combination with wood flour. Linseed oil is also used in varnishes, lacquers, soaps and inks; some other uses of the oil include as an animal feed (oil cakes), for treatment of leather, in sealants like putty and as a lubricant.
Linseed oil that is to be used for industrial purposes often involves various processes like addition of various solvents and metallic elements; industrial linseed oil is marked as boiled or polymerized and is unfit for consumption. Linseed oil used for consumption is extracted by pressing and is generally available as flaxseed oil; it is rich in omega-3 fatty acid which helps in preventing heart disease, inflammatory bowel syndrome and arthritis.
