Polyethylene wax (PEW) microspheres were prepared by the dissolution precipitation method using a PEW byproduct as the starting material. The influence of surfactant type on the morphology and melting point of the product was investigated. The effects of each factor, including the concentration of anionic surfactants, cooling rate, and stirring rate, on the particle sizes were studied using a three-level, three-factor BoxBehnken design. The experimental parameters were optimized using response surface methodology. The melting point was found to increase when the blend surfactant was employed. The optimal conditions were an anionic surfactant concentration, cooling rate, and stirring rate of 1.03.5%, 1.00 degrees C/s and 1000 rpm, respectively. Under these conditions, the mean particle size was 15 m, and the highest yield was 94.25%. (c) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013