We report on the measurement of diffusion (D), thermodiffusion (D(T)), and Soret (S(T)) coefficients in water-isopropanol mixtures by three different instrumental techniques: thermogravitational column in combination with sliding symmetric tubes, optical beam deflection, and optical digital interferometry. All the coefficients have been measured over the full concentration range. Results from different instruments are in excellent agreement over a broad overlapping composition (water mass fraction) range 0.2 < c < 0.7, providing new reliable benchmark data. Comparison with microgravity measurements (SODI/IVIDIL (Selected Optical Diagnostic Instrument/Influence of VIbration on DIffusion in Liquids)) onboard the International Space Station and with literature data (where available) generally gives a good agreement. Contrary to theoretical predictions and previous experimental expectations we have not observed a second sign change of S(T) at low water concentrations.

In this study, we have measured the thermodiffusion coefficients of six hydrocarbon liquid ternary mixtures at 25 degrees C using the thermogravitational technique. Mixtures of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene-isobutylbenzene-n-dodecane at four different concentrations and 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene-isobutylbenzene-n-decane at two concentrations have been considered. We have used a plane-thermogravitational column with a small gap dimension to improve the accuracy of the recently reported data. The obtained results have been confirmed by measurements in a cylindrical column. We have also measured the thermodiffusion coefficients of 13 binary mixtures between the different components of ternaries in order to analyze the validity of the additive rule proposed in the literature to determine thermodiffusion coefficients of ternary mixtures from binary thermodiffusion data. A new correlation based on column separation, which reproduces the data within the experimental error, is proposed.

With the aim of providing reliable benchmark values, we have measured the Soret, thermodiffusion and molecular diffusion coefficients for the ternary mixture formed by 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene, isobutylbenzene and n-dodecane for a mass fraction of 0.8-0.1-0.1 and at a temperature of 25°C. The experimental techniques used by the six participating laboratories are Optical Digital Interferometry, Taylor Dispersion technique, Open Ended Capillary, Optical Beam Deflection, Thermogravitational technique and Sliding Symmetric Tubes technique in ground conditions and Selectable Optical Diagnostic Instrument (SODI) in microgravity conditions. The measurements obtained in the SODI installation have been analyzed independently by four laboratories. Benchmark values are proposed for the thermodiffusion and Soret coefficients and for the eigenvalues of the diffusion matrix in ground conditions, and for Soret coefficients in microgravity conditions.

In this work, we have measured the thermodiffusion coefficient of different n-alkane binary mixtures at several concentrations using the thermogravitational technique. In particular, we have studied the n-dodecane/n-heptane system as a function of composition and other systems covering a large range of mass differences and concentration at 25 degrees C and 1 atm. The results show that for any concentration the thermodiffusion coefficient of n-alkane mixtures is proportional to the mass difference between the components and to the ratio of the thermal expansion coefficient and viscosity of the mixture. The obtained equation allows us to determine the infinite dilution values of the thermodiffusion coefficient. We compare these values with recent experimental results in dilute polymer solutions and analyze the Brenner theory of thermodiffusion. Finally, it is shown that the thermodiffusion coefficient depends linearly with the mass fraction, and it can be calculated from the viscosity and thermal expansion of the pure components.

We have determined the Soret coefficient of different equimolar and non equimolar n-alkane mixtures from measurements of the molecular diffusion and thermal diffusion coefficients. It is shown that equimolar mixtures behave as isotopic-like mixtures in which only the mass effect contributes to the Soret effect. In non equimolar mixtures, a small linear dependence with the molar fraction is observed. Finally, we have obtained a new correlation, which allows the determination of the Soret coefficient of n-alkane mixtures using the data of viscosity, the thermal expansion coefficient of the pure components, and the density of the equimolar mixture.