Phase Behaviour and Structural Characterisation of Model of the Schefflera Elegantissima Leaf Intracuticular Wax

The plant cuticle acts as a crucial barrier against transpiration. New findings show that long-chain hydrocarbons in the intracuticular wax layer notably reduce water loss. It’s evident that complex molecules are crucial for plants. With the global population on the rise, it is increasingly vital to manage plant health to prevent crop failures and ensure substantial agricultural yields. This is particularly true as plant wax composition is known to alter in response to external factors, such as drought. (1,2) The traditional brick-and-mortar theory suggests water molecules navigate a complex pathway during cuticular transpiration. Understanding these pathways is key for agrochemical penetration of the wax layer.
The intricate composition of the intracuticular wax of the Schefflera elegantissima plant was simplified into two previously unstudied 2-component systems, and their phase behaviour was analysed. Following in-depth individual compound analysis, the study investigated the solid-liquid and solid-solid equilibria of C29-C31 n-alkane mixtures and C31-C30OH n-alkane-alcohol mixtures using DSC and XRD. Two novel equilibrium phase diagrams for the binary mixtures were developed based on the analytical results.