5.1 Congealing point is a wax property that is of interest to many petroleum wax consumers. The procedure described here measures the temperature at which a sample being cooled develops a “set” or resistance to flow. At that temperature, the wax may be at or close to the solid state, or it may be semisolid and quite unctuous, depending on the composition of the wax or petrolatum being tested. In the case of petrolatums, congealing property is associated with the formation of a gel structure as the sample cools.

1.1 This test method covers determination of the congealing point of petroleum waxes, including petrolatum.

1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only.

1.3 WARNING—Mercury has been designated by many regulatory agencies as a hazardous material that can cause central nervous system, kidney and liver damage. Mercury, or its vapor, may be hazardous to health and corrosive to materials. Caution should be taken when handling mercury and mercury containing products. See the applicable product Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for details and EPA’s website—http://www.epa.gov/mercury/faq.htm—for additional information. Users should be aware that selling mercury and/or mercury containing products into your state or country may be prohibited by law.

1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.