Triggering and acceleration of xylitol crystallization by seeding and shearing: Rheo-optical and rheological investigation

The present study investigates the triggering and acceleration of xylitol crystallization for its use as a short-term TES. The combined effect of seeding and the action of shear on xylitol crystallization at a supercooled temperature has been investigated by direct observations under shear (rheo-optical approach) and by rheometry. The initial seed is an agglomerate of crystals of xylitol. In addition to the more classical erosion and rupture mechanisms leading to the dispersion of crystals, shear has shown to induce the detachment of crystalline dust adhered to the initial seed into the supercooled xylitol. These crystal fragments then serve as sites for secondary nucleation and subsequent crystallization. Rheo-optical observations have allowed the determination of shear conditions to control the size of crystals by dispersion. A second part has been dedicated to the effect of shear on crystallization of xylitol by seeding by means of rheology. The measurements, although not reproducible, clearly show that seeding in presence of shear (for the investigated conditions) is very efficient to trigger and accelerate the crystallization of xylitol. Post-mortem DSC and XRPD analyses of the final crystallized seeded and sheared samples have not shown any effect on the xylitol crystallinity degree. •Triggering and acceleration of xylitol crystallization were investigated.•Shearing and seeding were used to promote xylitol crystallization.•Rheo-optical, DSC and XPRD techniques were used for the study of xylitol.•Shearing and seeding accelerates the crystallization but it is difficult to control.•Xylitol crystallinity after shearing remains unchanged.