Molecular thermodiffusion (thermophoresis) in liquid mixtures

Abstract

Thermodiffusion (thermophoresis) in liquid mixtures is theoretically examined using a hydrodynamic approach. Thermodiffusion is related to the local temperature-induced pressure gradient in the liquid layer surrounding the selected molecule and to the secondary macroscopic pressure gradient established in the system. The local pressure gradient is produced by excess pressure due to the asymmetry of interactions with surrounding molecules in a nonuniform temperature field. The secondary pressure gradient is considered an independent parameter related to the concentration gradient formed by volume forces, calculated from the generalized equations for mass transfer. Values of Soret coefficients for mixtures of toluene and -hexane are calculated using parameters in the literature. When the molecules are assumed to be similar in shape, the calculated Soret coefficients are lower than the empirical values found in the literature. However, by introducing an asymmetry parameter, which is calculated from independent measurements of component diffusion in the literature, very good agreement is obtained.