Solubility of oxygen in some water + alcohol systems

Abstract

The solubility of oxygen has been measured in water + ethanol and in water + t-butanol mixtures, over the whole range of their compositions and at several temperatures between 4 and 62°C. The thermodynamic functions ΔG^⊖, ΔH^–, ΔS^⊖ and ΔC^⊖_p were calculated for the solution process, assuming ideal behaviour. The effects of the alcohols on the structure of water can thereby be verified. The results compare closely with those obtained using argon as solute, suggesting that size of molecule not only of the alcohol but also of the gas is critical in affecting hydrogen-bonded structures in the liquid water.