Investigation on the solidification of several pure cyclic and aromatic hydrocarbons at pressures to 300 MPa

The effect of pressure on the solidification of several saturated cyclic hydrocarbons and three xylene isomers are experimentally determined with a variable-volume view cell at pressures to 300 MPa and temperatures starting at 293.15 K. Solid–liquid transitions are observed for cyclooctane, cis-1,2-dimethylcyclohexane, trans-1,4-dimethylcyclohexane, p-xylene, o-xylene, and 2-methylnaphthalene. However, methylcyclohexane, ethylcyclohexane, cis-1,4-dimethylcyclohexane, and m-xylene remained liquid over the same operating pressure and temperature ranges. The experimental solid–liquid transition data are well represented with two empirical equations, the Simon equation and a 2nd-order polynomial equation. Data obtained in this study agree with literature data within ±0.4% for 2-methylnaphthalene and ±0.2% for p-xylene.