Solubility behaviour, crystallisation kinetics and pour point: A comparison of linear alkane and triacyl glyceride solute/solvent mixtures

Mixtures of either a hydrocarbon wax in a hydrocarbon solvent or a long chain triacyl glyceride (TAG) in a TAG solvent show complex solubility boundary temperature hysteresis and precipitated crystal network formation leading to gelation. For these industrially-important systems, we show how the equilibrium solubility and its hysteresis, crystallisation kinetics and pour point temperature vary with solute concentration for representative examples of both hydrocarbon (n-tetracosane (C24) solute in n-heptane (C7) solvent) and TAG (tristearin (SSS) solute in tricaprylin (CCC) solvent) mixtures. The behaviour is modelled with good accuracy; thereby providing a useful aid to formulation and process optimisation.

We compare solubility, crystallisation and pour point of n-tetracosane in n-heptane solution (left) and tristearin in tricaprylin (right).Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide