Effect of a solid-phase transition on solidification experiments

A solid state phase transition is reported for n-eicosyne wax. A numerical investigation is carried out to determine the importance of the transition on the rate of solidification. The release of approximately one third of the latent heat of fusion at the transition temperature is shown to have only a small effect on the temperature profile, but increases solidification by 6-10%. This explains previously observed discrepancies between theory and solidification experiments using this material.