Differential Scanning Calorimetric Analysis of White Wax

Marie Musilová (musilova@faf.cuni.cz), Petra Pátková

Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Czech Republic

Summary

The thermal profile of White wax was examined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The DSC melting, crystallisation, and the subsequent melting curve in the second heating of white wax are reported. Each thermal curve was used to determine four DSC parameters, namely the onset temperature T_o, offset temperature T_f, peak temperature T_p, and melting enthalpy ΔH. On melting, white wax shows one endothermic peak. It begins to crystallise at a temperature slightly lower than the melting point. Both the crystallisation curve and the melting curve of the subsequent second heating show two peaks. The melting curve in the second heating is more reproducible than the melting curve in the first heating and it does not depend on the initial crystalline state of the sample.