Thermophysical Properties of Nitrogen Trifluoride, Ethylene Oxide, and Trimethyl Gallium from Speed-of-Sound Measurements

Abstract

The speed of sound was measured in gaseous nitrogen trifluoride, ethylene oxide, and trimethyl gallium using a highly precise acoustic resonance technique. The measurements span the temperature range 200 to 425 K and reach pressures up to the lesser of 1500 kPa or 80% of the sample vapor pressure. The speed-of-sound measurements have a relative standard uncertainty of less than 0.01%. The data were analyzed to obtain the constant-pressure ideal-gas heat capacity C0p as a function of temperature with a relative standard uncertainty of 0.1%. The values of C0p are in agreement with those determined from spectro- scopic data. The speed-of-sound data were fitted by virial equations of state to obtain temperature-dependent density virial coefficients. Two virial coefficient models were employed, one based on square-well intermolecular potentials, and the second based on a hard-core Lennard-Jones intermolecular potential. The resulting virial equations reproduced the sound-speed data to within ±0.02%, and may be used to calculate vapor densities with relative standard uncertainties of 0.1% or less.