Thermodynamic properties of ternary mixtures containing water, 2-ethoxyethanol, and t-butanol at 298.15 K

Abstract

Ultrasonic speeds and isentropic compressibilities were measured at 298.15 K in the water-rich region of aqueous solutions of water + 2-ethoxyethanol (2EE) + t-butanol. The excess properties of ultrasonic speed and isentropic compressibility were also calculated and have been discussed in terms of molecular interactions. The concentrations of t-butanol at which ultrasonic speed becomes maximum and isentropic compressibility becomes minimum are found to decrease with increase in the concentration of 2EE in the cosolvent (aqueous 2EE). This behavior indicates that the aqueous ternary solutions are less structured than aqueous t-butanol. This behavior is explained as due to a decrease in the ability of t-butanol to form clathrate hydrates owing to the presence of 2EE. When the concentration of 2EE in the cosolvent (x2EE) > 0.14, ultrasonic speed decreases and isentropic compressibility increases with concentration of t-butanol indicating that the ternary solution behaves as normal solution wherein any further addition of 2EE or t-butanol leads to destabilization of the hydrogen bonded structure of water and t-butanol looses its ability to form clathrate hydrates in aqueous solutions.