Non-isothermal nucleation of triacylglycerol melts

To model the non-isothermal nucleation behavior of triacylglycerol mixtures, we define the supercooling-time potential (P) experienced by the system to the onset of nucleation, which corresponds to the area under the Supercooling-Time-Trajectory. Here, we show that the nucleation rate, determined from image analysis of polarized light micrographs of the nucleating birefringent material, is an exponential function of the square root of beta and inversely proportional to the square root of the cooling rate. The normalized nucleation rate vs. beta profiles were identical for all systems studied, falling onto a single master curve, with an energy of activation of similar to 24.8 kj/mol. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.