Interfacial tensions and viscosities in multiphase systems by surface light scattering (SLS)

Multiphase systems are relevant in many fields of process engineering. For process and product design in connection with multiphase systems, knowledge on the thermophysical properties of the individual phases such as viscosity and on the interfacial tension between these is required but often lacking in literature. In the present study, the applicability of surface light scattering (SLS) for the simultaneous measurement of interfacial tensions and viscosities in multiphase systems in macroscopic thermodynamic equilibrium is demonstrated. For two model systems consisting of n-decane and methanol as well as n-dodecane and methanol forming a vapor-liquid-liquid equilibrium at atmospheric pressure, surface fluctuations which show an oscillatory behavior at the vapor-liquid and liquid-liquid interface could be associated with hydrodynamic modes. From an exact theoretical description of the dynamics of the surface fluctuations, absolute data for the dynamic viscosities of the two liquid phases as well as the vapor-liquid and liquid-liquid interfacial tensions could be determined at temperatures between (333 and 358) K with total measurement uncertainties (k = 2) down to about 2%. For both systems studied at temperatures close to the upper critical solution temperature, the viscosities of the two liquid phases approach each other and the liquid-liquid interfacial tension tends to zero.