Thermodynamic and statistical studies of supersaturated ternary solutions

The influence of chromium ions Cr3+ on properties of supersaturated aqueous solution of ammonium sulfate (NH4)2SO4 has been studied employing containerless electrodynamic levitation of single microdroplets of this solution with known concentration of Cr3+ ions. The water activity versus solute concentration was measured in three different sets of experiments corresponding to different initial concentrations of Cr3+ ions. Theoretical treatment of the experimental results obtained is developed employing the theory of supersaturated electrolyte solutions [Phys. Rev. E 52, 1325 (1995)]. This treatment has allowed the following two conclusions. First, spinodal concentration is a decreasing function of Cr3+ concentration. Second, solute clusters formed in the presence of Cr3+ ions demonstrate complex behavior with respect to binding water molecules: (a) at low and moderate supersaturations, they bind more water molecules than clusters formed in the absence of an impurity; and (b) at high supersaturations, they bind less water molecules than clusters formed in the absence of an impurity.