Ge′rard Douhe′ret, Michael I. Davis, Inger Johanne Fjellanger and Harald Hiland
Ultrasonic speed measurements have been made by a sonic solution monitor using a ‘pulse–echo–overlap’ technique, for aqueous mixtures of the poly(ethylene glycol)s di-, tri- and tetra(ethylene glycol) at 298.15 K, across the entire composition range. Density values were taken from the literature and readily converted to molar volumes, V, and excess molar volumes, VE. They were combined with the measured values of the ultrasonic speeds to furnish estimates of the isentropic molar quantity, KS, equal to -(∂V/∂p)S, and of its excess counterpart, KSE. The magnitude of KSE decreases with the number of oxyethylene groups, except in the water-rich region. Data reduction procedures were used to calculate several related quantities leading to graphs with enhanced visual impact. Results were compared with those reported earlier for ethane-1,2-diol–water and for 2-[2-methoxy(ethoxy)n]ethanol–water. Graphs of the data sets are presented to furnish a basis for the discussion of evidence for the prevailing patterns of molecular aggregation. Segmented-composition models were employed to analyse the various excess molar quantities.