Diffusion coefficients for a series of n-alkanes in two polar solvents

Abstract

The diffusion coefficients for an homologous series of ca. 20 n-alkanes from ethane to octacosane have been measured in dilute solution in propan-2-ol and tetrahydrofuran at 300 K and atmospheric pressure using the Taylor dispersion technique with an accuracy of 3–5 % for most systems. The diffusion results are discussed in terms of the hydrodynamic theory of diffusion, in view of the relevance to diffusion-controlled reactions in polymerisation kinetics.