Transport properties of n-ethylene glycol aqueous solutions with focus on triethylene glycol–water

Abstract

Soret effect and diffusion in triethylene glycol (TEG)–water mixtures were investigated as a function of concentration at 25 °C by means of optical digital interferometry, with the use of a classical Soret cell. Diffusion D, thermal diffusion D T, and Soret S T coefficients are described for the full concentration range and an analysis is made individually for TEG–water mixture and within a series of n-ethylene glycol ( n-EG) aqueous systems. All coefficients decrease with increasing the concentration of TEG and n-EG. S T shows a change of sign with concentration, and this change is directly related to the ability of the n-EG molecule to establish hydrogen bonding with water. Diffusion and thermal diffusion coefficients present a plateau behavior with increasing concentration, showing the occurrence of changes in the preferential interactions in aqueous solution with concentration and meaning that, at high TEG composition, ether oxygens can be involved in the molecular interactions.