Determinación de los parámetros del modelo de flory-huggins para estimación del punto de nube de surfactantes no iónicos

Abstract

The cloud point of different polyethoxylated surfactants have been experimentally determined and thermodynamic parameters such as enthalpy and entropy of mixing using the Flory-Huggins model have been determined. The non-ionic surfactants are compounds that can be used as separation aid in processes such as extraction. This separation process is based on a chemical phenomenon that occurs when a solution of non-ionic surfactants is subjected to warming, increasing the temperature until getting a turbid liquid. The temperature at this point is known as the cloud point. The experimental methodology considered the preparation of solutions of 0.25 to 20% by mass for each surfactant studied and the heating process until reaching the cloud point. The parameters in the Flory-Huggins model were obtained using the Levenberg-Marquardt method and presented a satisfactory adjustment to the experimental data for all the surfactants studied in this work.