Study of Phase Transition in Hard Microcrystalline Waxes and Wax Blends by Differential Scanning Calorimetry

Abstract

Phase transition temperature and associated energies in hard high melting microcrystalline waxes and its various blend with paraffin wax (melting range from 60 to 97°C) have been determined by DSC in both heating and cooling mode. The dependence of these on the composition and properties of waxes have been analyzed. The solid liquid transition temperature obtained by DSC has been compared with ASTM drop melting point of these wax samples. The present study has demonstrated that DSC can be of great use in identifying whether the wax sample is blend of different waxes or not.

Keywords:

• Petroleum waxes
• Hard waxes
• Phase transition
• DSC

Acknowledgments

The authors (K. M. Agrawal and H. U. Khan) are grateful to Indian National Science Academy (INSA) New Delhi & CSIR for financial support to their study visit to Czech Republic. Thanks are also due to Shri S. P. Nautiyal for his help in the wax sample preparation.