BS 4695:1980

This standard BS 4695:1980 Method for determination of melting point of petroleum wax (cooling curve) is classified in these ICS categories:

• 75.140 Waxes, bituminous materials and other petroleum products

1.1 This International Standard specifies a method for the determination of the melting point (cooling curve) of petroleum wax. It is unsuitable for waxes of the petrolatum group, the microcrystalline waxes, or blends of such waxes with paraffin wax or scale wax.

1.2 Melting point (cooling curve) is a test that is widely used by wax suppliers and consumers. It is particularly applicable to petroleum waxes that are rather highly paraffinic or crystalline in nature. A plateau occurs with specimens containing appreciable amounts of hydrocarbons that crystallize at the same temperature, giving up heat of fusion, thus temporarily retarding the cooling rate. In general, petroleum waxes with large amounts of non-normal hydrocarbons or with amorphous solid forms will not show the plateau.

NOTE For additional methods used for testing petroleum waxes, see ISO 2207, Petroleum waxes — Determination of congealing point, and ISO . . ., Petroleum waxes — Determination of drop-melting point.¹⁾ Results may differ, depending on the method used. For pharmaceutical petrolatum, ISO . . . is usually used.

Technically equivalent to ASTM 87-74:IP 55/77.