The adsorption of lower trialkylphosphates at the dodecane – water interface

Abstract

The adsorption of tripropylphosphate, triethylphosphate, and trimethylphosphate at the dodecane–water interface has been studied at temperatures from 293 to 313 K. Standard free energies of adsorption were obtained from the lowering of interfacial tensions in the low (< 10−4) solute mole fraction region. Standard enthalpies and entropies of adsorption were then obtained from the temperature variation of the standard free energies of adsorption.Standard free energies of adsorption from dodecane showed little variation with solute chain length, with the exception of trimethylphosphate. On the other hand, free energies of adsorption from water decreased by 3.45 kJ/mol for each methylene group added, again with the exception of trimethylphosphate. Enthalpies of adsorption increased linearly with increasing solute chain length for adsorption from either phase. For each methylene group added, the enthalpy of adsorption from dodecane increased by 2.9 kJ/mol, while that from water increased by 2.4 kJ/mol.Results for tripropylphosphate adsorption and for triethylphosphate adsorption at higher temperatures could be adequately described by the Schofield–Rideal equation of state, but not by simple two-dimensional solution models. Results for trimethylphosphate adsorption and for triethylphosphate adsorption at lower temperatures could not be fitted adequately by either type of equation of state.