Lab Report No.
06
(Kiran Shehzadi: 2022-bs-chem-025)
Fractional Distillation of an Unknown Liquid Mixture
Abstract
This experiment involves the separation of an unknown liquid mixture into its individual
components using the technique of fractional distillation. The process relies on the
difference in boiling points between the components of the mixture. A fractionating
column packed with glass beads was used to increase the efficiency of separation by
providing multiple condensation–vaporization cycles. The unknown mixture, assumed to
contain ethanol and water, was gradually heated, and fractions were collected at different
temperature ranges. The boiling points and physical properties of the distillates were
recorded and compared with literature values to identify each component. The
experiment successfully demonstrated that fractional distillation is a precise and efficient
method for separating liquids with close boiling points, confirming the mixture to be
composed of ethanol and water.
Objective
To separate and identify the components of an unknown liquid mixture based on their
boiling points using the process of fractional distillation.
Principle
Fractional distillation is a purification and separation technique used to separate two or
more miscible liquids having different boiling points. When the mixture is heated, the
component with the lower boiling point vaporizes first. The vapors pass through a
fractionating column, where repeated condensation and vaporization take place. This
enhances the purity of each fraction collected. The process continues until all components
are separated according to their boiling ranges.
Theory
Every liquid has a specific boiling point at which its vapor pressure
equals the atmospheric pressure. In a mixture of liquids, the
component with the lowest boiling point vaporizes first. A fractionating
column, fitted between the distillation flask and the condenser, allows
several condensation–evaporation cycles, resulting in an efficient
separation even when the boiling points of the liquids differ by less
than 25°C. For an ethanol–water mixture, ethanol (b.p. 78°C) vaporizes
first, followed by water (b.p. 100°C). The process can be represented
as follows: Mixture → Heating → Vaporization → Condensation →
Fraction Collection.
Chemicals and Apparatus Used
Chemicals:
- Unknown liquid mixture (e.g., ethanol–water)
- Anti-bumping granules
Apparatus:
- Round-bottom flask (100 mL)
- Fractionating column (packed with glass beads)
- Condenser
- Thermometer
- Receiver flasks or test tubes
- Heating mantle or water bath
- Clamp stand
Procedure
1. About 30 mL of the unknown mixture was poured into a clean round-bottom flask.
2. A few anti-bumping granules were added to prevent sudden boiling.
3. The flask was fitted with a fractionating column, thermometer, and condenser using a
clamp stand.
4. Water was connected to the condenser (inlet from bottom, outlet from top).
5. The mixture was heated gently using a heating mantle.
6. The first fraction was collected when the temperature became constant near 78°C.
7. Heating was continued until the temperature rose to around 100°C, and a second
fraction was collected.
8. Each fraction’s boiling range, volume, and appearance were recorded.
9. The observed data were compared with literature boiling points to identify the
components.
Observations
Fraction No. Boiling Range Volume Physical Probable
(°C) Collected (mL) appearance Component
1 77-80 10 Colorless, pleasant Ethanol
odor
2 98-100 12 Colorless, odorless Water
Results
The given unknown liquid mixture was successfully separated into two components by
fractional distillation:
- Fraction 1: Ethanol (b.p. 78°C)
- Fraction 2: Water (b.p. 100°C)
Hence, the unknown mixture was identified as an ethanol–water mixture.
Discussion
The experiment demonstrated the effectiveness of fractional distillation for separating
components of a liquid mixture with small differences in boiling points. The use of a
fractionating column increased the efficiency by providing a larger surface area for
condensation and vaporization. The first fraction, boiling around 78°C, indicated ethanol,
while the second fraction, collected at about 100°C, corresponded to water. Any
deviation in temperature readings could be attributed to impurities or heat losses. Proper
control of heating rate and tight connections between apparatus ensured accurate results
and minimized experimental error.
Conclusion
Fractional distillation was successfully carried out to separate an unknown liquid mixture
into its individual components. The observed boiling points confirmed that the mixture
consisted of ethanol and water. This experiment validates fractional distillation as an
efficient technique for separating liquids with close boiling points and for purifying
volatile substances.
Applications
- Used in petroleum refining to separate crude oil into components such as gasoline,
diesel, and kerosene.
- Employed in the chemical industry for purifying solvents and reagents.
- Used in the alcohol industry to separate ethanol from fermentation mixtures.
- Applied in laboratory and pharmaceutical settings for purification of liquid compounds.
- Useful in environmental testing to recover or purify volatile organic compounds.
Precautions
- Add anti-bumping granules before heating.
- Heat the mixture slowly and uniformly.
- Ensure all apparatus joints are airtight.
- Do not distill to dryness to avoid overheating or breakage.
- Record temperature readings accurately.
- Handle glassware carefully and avoid sudden cooling of hot apparatus.
References
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Brown, F. D. (1879). LIX.—Theory of fractional distillation. Journal of the Chemical
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