Activity coefficients, densities, dipole moments, and surface tensions of the system triethylamine–methylethylketone–water

Abstract

The properties named in the title have been determined by standard methods. Viscosity, molar volume, and orientation polarisation all indicate abnormalities of the nature of association between the components.The most interesting result is that of surface tension which indicates that, in the case of the binary system triethylamine–water, a surface layer of constant composition is formed over a wide range of total composition. When, by a rise in temperature of two or three degrees, this layer becomes unstable, it splits into two phases of different composition. The surface layer may then be instantaneously reformed and so on. A mechanism for the generation of a two-phase system is thus established. The data for the three-phase, isothermal, system are not so convincing, for reasons that are suggested.