Infrared study of adsorption on silica from two-component and three-component liquid mixtures

Abstract

An infrared cell of novel design is described and has been used for the measurement of spectra of discs of powdered silica immersed in liquid mixtures of 2,2,4-trimethylpentane + cyclohexanone, 1,4-dimethylbenzene + cyclohexanone and 2,2,4-trimethylpentane + 1,4-dimethylbenzene + cyclohexanone. The proportions of surface silanol groups perturbed by interaction with each component of the liquid mixtures were evaluated from absorbance data taken from the spectra. With certain provisos, infrared spectroscopy provides a valuable method for the study of adsorption behaviour at the interface between solids and multi-component liquid mixtures.