The
density and refractive index of ionic liquids (ILs) + water
binary mixtures were determined as a function of temperature (from
293.15 to 343.15 K) at atmospheric pressure over the whole composition
range in which the mixtures were miscible. To carry out a systematic
study, all of the ILs selected are imidazolium-based ILs with a different
number of carbons in the alkyl chain of the cation and also different
anions (tetrafluoroborate, triflate, and octylsulfate). Specifically,
the studied ILs were 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate
[emim][BF4], 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate
[bmim][BF4], 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate
[hmim][BF4], 1-methyl-3-octylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate
[omim][BF4], 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium triflate [emim][TfO],
1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium triflate [bmim][TfO], and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium
octylsulfate [bmim][OcSO4]. The excess molar volumes and
the deviation in the molar refraction of the binary mixtures were
calculated for a better understanding of the interactions that take
place between the components and were successfully correlated by the
Redlich–Kister empirical correlations. The Bahe–Varela
model, which has a more physical meaning, was also used to successfully
correlate the excess molar volume values. Volumetric properties, such
as apparent molar volumes, partial molar volumes, isobaric thermal
expansion coefficients, partial molar volumes at infinite dilution
and excess partial molar volumes at infinite dilution were also calculated
in order to obtain information about the influence of composition
and temperature on the thermodynamic behavior of the selected ILs
and water in the mixture. The results are discussed in order to understand
the formation of hydrogen bonds between components of the mixture
and the possible packing effects that take place in the mixing process.
The density and refractive index experimental data were correlated
by the Lorentz–Lorenz, Wiener, Dale–Gladstone, and Eykman
equations to determine the relationship between both parameters, and
good agreement between the experimental and calculated refractive
index values was obtained.