Viscosity of normal-hexadecane

Abstract

Attempts to prepare high-purity n-hexad.ecane f~'om c~mmercial cetane by simple labo- rat?ry pro~edurcs were ur;successfuJ. 1- ractlonal dlstlllatlOll at reduced pressure, of rna- tenal prevIously treated wIth sJlica gel, produced a few small fractions of about 99.5-mole- p~rcent pu~ity. The kinematic viscosit ies of the original material and of the fraction of hIghest punty, 99.63-mole percent, were fOllnd to be the same, 4.4635 centistokes at 20°. All other fraction s had Jower viscosities . The viscosity of NBS standard sample of n-hexa- decane, 99.94-molc percent, was fOl!nd to be 4.4642 centistokes or 3.4540 centipoises at 20°0 . n-Hexadecane IS not lIkely to be sUItable for use as a second calibration standard fo r viscom- etry until a simple, easily defined rO:Jtine of purification is developed.