THREE COMPONENT SYSTEM

CHRISTHEL MAY M. PUEBLS

Department of Chemical Engineering

College of Engineering and Architecture

Cebu Institute of Technology -University

N. Bacalso Ave. Cebu City, 6000 Philippines

A ternary system is one with three components. We can independently vary the
temperature, the pressure, and two independent composition variables for the system as a
whole. A two-dimensional phase diagram (triangular coordinate) for a ternary system is
usually drawn for conditions of constant temperature and pressure. The purpose of this
experiment is to determine the solubility limits and to plot the solubility curve of a three
component system. It was concluded that all the three component can achieve a homogenous
solution (one liquid phase) if the correct proportions of each component is mixed together.
The mixture of water, toluene and ethanol become more homogenous when decreasing
amount of toluene and increasing amount of ethanol is used in the system. In order to achieve
a clear miscible solution, two liquid phase will be formed which is indicated by the appearing
of the cloudiness of the mixed solution.

1. Introduction
 A ternary system is one with three components. We can independently vary the
temperature, the pressure, and two independent composition variables for the system as a
whole. A two-dimensional phase diagram for a ternary system is usually drawn for
conditions of constant temperature and pressure.

A phase diagram is a coordinated triangular diagram that state the composition and
relationship of three components system. It shows the conditions at which thermodynamically
distinct phases can occur at equilibrium. The number of phases of a system that can exist in
equilibrium at any time depends on the conditions of temperature, concentration and
composition.
By using phase rule equation in this experiment, the number of degree of freedom, F can
be determined. In this experiment, we use three component as each components are
composed of different elements. At the beginning of the experiment, we mixed toluene and
ethanol which eventually resulting only one liquid phase (homogenous solution). Thus the F
obtain in this experiment is 4 (as F = 3-1+2) for a non-condensed system. The degree of
freedom at the beginning of the experiment is comprised of temperature, pressure and the
each of the concentration of the components. As water is added to the system, F will be
reduced to 2 (as F= 3-3+2) for a condensed system as the number of phases are increased
from one liquid phase to two liquid phase and addition of one vapour phase. As the number of
components increase, the number of degree of freedom also will be increased. However, as F
is increased, the system will become more complex, it becomes necessary to fix more
variable to define the system. Ironically, the greater the number of phases in equilibrium, the
fewer the degrees of freedom.

2. Materials and Methods

2.2 Methods
The materials used in the experiment were thermometer, eight glass stoppered
bottles, five ml pipette and two burettes.
2.2.1. Preparation of Ethanol-Water Solution and Titration with Toluene
Ten percent solution of ethanol in water was prepared by adding two grams of
ethanol (2.53 ml) to 18 ml of water. Twenty five percent solution of acetic acid
in water was prepared by adding 5 grams of ethanol (6.34 ml) to 15 ml of
water. Forty percent solution of ethanol in water was prepared by adding 8
grams of acetic acid (10.14 ml) to 12 ml of water. Sixty percent solution of
acetic acid in water was prepared by adding 12 grams of ethanol (15.21 ml) to
8 ml of water. The burette was filled up with toluene. The initial readings were
recorded. All the percentage solutions were set to thermostat at 25°C using
copper water bath. Each percentage solution was titrated with toluene. It was
shaken vigorously after each drop of the titrant. The endpoint was the first
perceptible cloudiness. The volume of the toluene used was noted.

2.2.2. Preparation of Ethanol- Toluene Solution and Titration with Water

Ten percent solution of acetic acid in benzene was prepared by adding 2 grams
of ethanol (2.53 ml) to 18 grams of toluene (20.76 ml). Twenty-five percent
solution of ethanol in toluene was prepared by adding 5 grams of ethanol (6.34
ml) to 15 grams of toluene (17.30 ml). Forty percent solution of ethanol in
toluene was prepared by adding 8 grams of acetic acid (10.14 ml) to 12 grams
of toluene (13.84 ml). Sixty percent solution of ethanol in toluene was
prepared by adding 12 grams of ethanol (15.21 ml) to 8 grams of toluene (9.23
ml). The burette was filled up with water. The initial readings were recorded.
All the percentage solutions were set to thermostat at 25°C using copper water
bath. Each percentage solution was titrated with water. It was shaken
vigorously after each drop of the titrant. The endpoint was the first perceptible
cloudiness. The volume of the water used was noted.

2.2.3 Plotting a Ternary Diagram

 A large equilateral triangle was drawn. Each of the three corners of the triangle
was assigned to one of the three variables. Each of the variables had a natural
axis that extended form its corner to the middle of the opposite corner of the
triangle. Nine equally spaced points were marked along each side of the
triangle. Parallel lines from these points were drawn through the graph. The
percent by mass of the components of ethanol -water-toluene solutions were
determined and plotted to the ternary diagram. All the points were traced in the
diagram.

2.2.4 Determination of a tie line for a known concentration of heterogeneous mixture

of three component system
A point, M was selected in the diagram, lying in the heterogeneous region
about midway between the center of this area and one side of the bounding
curve. A 50 ml sample was prepared, the composition of which corresponds to
the selected point. The sample was shaken and allowed to form into two
separate layers. A small separatory funnel was run into each solution into a
small weighed flask. The weight of each solution was determined. Five ml
aliquots of each phase was extracted and titrated with 0.2 N sodium hydroxide,
using phenolphthalein as indicator. The ratio of the weight of one of the
conjugate solutions to the total weight of the mixture, M, was computed. The
point M was plotted and a ruler was laid in the diagram so that it passes
through this point and intersects the curve twice. The ruler was rotated about
the point M, until the ration of the distance from M to one point of intersection
with the curve to the total distance between the two points of intersection is
equal to the ration of the mass of one solution to the total mass of the mixture.
A line was drawn connecting the points of intersection. The whole procedure
was repeated for point N.
3. Results

Table 1. Ethanol and water solution

C2H6 H2O C7H8 C2H6 H20 C7H8 TOTAL % % %

O (ml) (ml) (ml) O (g) (g) (g) MASS C2H6 H2O C7H8
O
2.53 18 0.4 2 18 0.93 20.93 12.11 85.98 1.91

6.34 15 0.7 5 15 2.04 22.04 28.77 68.06 3.18

10.14 12 1.1 8 12 3.24 23.24 43.63 51.64 5.13

15.21 8 2.9 12 8 6.11 26.11 58.25 30.64 11.11

Table 2. Toluene and ethanol solution

%
C7H8 C2H6 H2O C7H8 C2H6 H2O TOTAL % %
C2H6
(ml) O (ml) (ml) (g) O (g) (g) MASS H2O C7H8
O
20.76 2.53 0.3 18 2 3.59 23.59 1.27 10.72 88.00

17.30 6.36 0.8 15 5 4.44 24.44 3.27 25.94 70.74

13.84 10.14 1.4 12 8 5.38 25.38 5.52 39.95 54.53

9.23 15.21 3.7 8 12 8.14 28.14 13.15 54.05 32.80

Figure 1. Plotting a Ternary Diagram

Legend: A – Water B – Ethanol C – Toluene

4. Discussion

In this experiment, we are using three different component, which is toluene, ethanol,
and water. It is important to know the properties of toluene and ethanol solubility in water.
Both toluene and ethanol have different properties in water. Ethanol are soluble in water
while toluene are not soluble in water. At the beginning of the experiment, we mixed an
amount of toluene and ethanol together. Both are forming a clear mutual miscible solution
and forming homogenous solution (one liquid phase). But after adding an amount of water,
the solubility of the clear mutual miscible solution are disrupted. The clear solution turns
cloudy which indicates the solution does not longer miscible to each other and starts to form
two layer (two liquid phase) as resulting from the different degrees of solubility of toluene
and ethanol in water.
The addition of water to a miscible liquids, which is toluene and ethanol can change
their mutual solubility. As water is more soluble in ethanol compared to toluene, the mutual
solubility of toluene and ethanol is decreased. However, if water is soluble in both of the
liquids, the mutual solubility will be increased. Thus, when water is added to the mixture of
toluene and ethanol, the mutual solubility increased until it reached a point where the mixture
becomes homogenous solution. This is proved in the experiment, as more amount of water is
needed to turn the clear miscible solution into cloudy immiscible solution.
5. Conclusion

In this experiment the solubility limits of a system made up of three components (toluene,
ethanol and water) was determined and solubility curve for the given three component system
was also plotted.

In conducting the experiment of phase equilibria in three-component systems, it is

important to define the number of degree of freedom to find out the least number of variables
that needs to be fixed in order to describe the system completely. This is important as it will
affected the data obtained to plot the complete curve. Besides, in this experiment also, all the
three component can achieved a homogenous solution (one liquid phase) if the correct
proportions of each component is mixed together. The mixture of water, toluene and ethanol
become more homogenous when decreasing amount of toluene and increasing amount of
ethanol is used in the system. If the proportions of the three components is not correct in
order to achieve a clear miscible solution, two liquid phase will be form which is indicates by
the appearing of the cloudiness of the mixed solution.

6. Reference
Web reference
1. https://www.csun.edu/~jeloranta/CHEM355L/experiment5.pdf (sighted last August
23, 2017)
2. https://chem.libretexts.org/Textbook_Maps/Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry_Tex
tbook_Maps/DeVoe%27s_%22Thermodynamics_and_Chemistry
%22/13%3A_The_Phase_Rule_and_Phase_Diagrams/13.3_Phase_Diagrams
%3A_Ternary_Systems (sighted last August 23, 2017)