Editing Incense (section)

===Combustible base===
[[File:Räucherkerzchen.jpg|thumb|upright|A {{lang|de|[[Räucherkerzchen]]}} – A charcoal-based incense cone]]

The combustible base of a direct burning incense mixture not only binds the fragrant material together but also allows the produced incense to burn with a self-sustained ember, which propagates slowly and evenly through an entire piece of incense with such regularity that it can be used to mark time.{{Citation needed|date=July 2017}} The base is chosen such that it does not produce a perceptible smell. Commercially, two types of incense base predominate:
*'''[[Fuel]] and [[oxidizer]] mixtures''': [[Charcoal]] or [[wood]] powder provides the fuel for combustion while an oxidizer such as [[sodium nitrate]] or [[potassium nitrate]] sustains the burning of the incense. Fragrant materials are added to the base prior to shaping, as in the case of powdered incense materials, or after, as in the case of essential oils. The formula for charcoal-based incense is superficially similar to [[black powder]], though it lacks the [[sulfur]].
*'''Natural plant-based binders''': Gums such as [[gum arabic]] or [[Tragacanth|gum tragacanth]] are used to bind the mixture together. Mucilaginous material, which can be derived from many botanical sources, is mixed with fragrant materials and water. The [[mucilage]] from the wet binding powder holds the fragrant material together while the [[cellulose]] in the powder combusts to form a stable ember when lit. The dry binding powder usually comprises about 10% of the dry weight in the finished incense. These include:
**''Makko'' (incense powder) made from the [[bark (botany)|bark]] of various trees in the genus ''[[Persea]]'' (such as ''[[Machilus thunbergii|Persea thunbergii]]'')
**''Xiangnan pi'' (made from the bark of trees of genus ''[[Phoebe (plant)|Phoebe]]'' such as ''[[Phoebe nanmu]]'' or ''[[Persea zuihoensis]]''.
**''Jigit'': a resin based binder used in India
**''Laha'' or ''Dar'': bark based powders used in Nepal, Tibet, and other East Asian countries.

Typical compositions burn at a temperature between {{convert|220|and(-)|260|°C}}.