Phase equilibria and interfacial tensions in the systems methyl tert-butyl ether + acetone + cyclohexane, methyl tert-butyl ether + acetone and methyl tert-butyl ether + cyclohexane

Abstract

Isobaric vapor–liquid equilibrium (VLE) data have been measured for the ternary system methyl tert-butyl ether + acetone + cyclohexane, and for its methyl tert-butyl ether based binaries, at 94 kPa and in the temperature range 323–340 K. Equilibrium determinations were performed in a vapor–liquid equilibrium still with circulation of both phases. The dependence of interfacial tensions of these mixtures on concentration was also determined, at atmospheric pressure and 303.15 K, using the maximum bubble pressure technique. From the experimental results, it follows that the investigated mixtures exhibit positive deviation from ideal behavior and azeotropy is present for the methyl tert-butyl ether + acetone system at 94 kPa. The application of a model-free approach allows concluding about the reliability of the present vapor–liquid equilibrium data for all the indicated mixtures. Furthermore, the determined interfacial tensions exhibit negative deviation from linear behavior for all the analyzed mixtures. The vapor–liquid equilibrium data of the binary mixtures were well correlated using the NRTL, Wilson and UNIQUAC equations, while their interfacial tensions were smoothed using the Redlich–Kister equation. Scaling of these models to the ternary mixture allows concluding that both the VLE data and the interfacial tensions can be reasonably predicted from binary contributions.