26th April, 2019

MAKERERE UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF NATURAL SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY

PRACTICAL REPORT

THERMODYNAMICS AND KINETICS (CHM2222)

PRACTICAL EXPERIMENT 2.26

NAME: GOLOOBA NICKSON

REG NO: 17/U/266
STUDENT NO: 217001194
EXPERIMENT: 2.26
DATE: 26 APRIL, 2019
LECTURERE: DR. KARUME IBRAHIM AND
MR. YIGA SOLOMON
TITLE: PHENOL-WATER SYSTEM
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Analysis of partial solubility of phenol- water system

Aim
To study the relationship between solubility of mixture of water with difference percentage
of phenol composition and temperature.
To determine and construct the mutual solubility curve for phenol and water.
To obtain the Critical Solution Temperature (CST) from the mutual solubility curve.

Abstract
This experiment was designed to investigate the relationship between solubility mixtures of
water and phenol and to construct phase diagram of phenol so, the solubility of phenol in
water was investigated. The amount of phenol was fixed throughout the experiment but the
amount of water added was varied instead and this means that the percentage composition
by mass of the two components kept on varying as more water was added. It was found out
that the solubility of phenol in water was affected by temperature. The solubility is also not
the same at all compositions. The critical solution temperature (68⁰C) was observed at
(35.5%) phenol composition by mass.

Theory
Phenol known as carbolic acid, hydroxybenzene and phenyl alcohol is produced at the
rate of millions of tons per year, mostly from isopropyl benzene. Phenol is a starting
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material in the manufacturer of plastics and drugs. It was used an antiseptic beginning in the
1860’s. However, phenol is poisonous. The phenol-water mixtures used in this lab are
concentrated and dangerous by contact or ingestion. Aqueous phenol solutions have been
used pharmaceutically. At low and high percentages of phenol, water and phenol mix
completely, forming a single liquid phase. Above the critical temperature, phenol and water
are completely miscible. The water- phenol phase diagram contains a solid phase at high per
cent phenol, near and somewhat above room temperature. That part of the diagram is not
shown in the figure. The independent variable in the phase diagram is composition.
Composition is sometimes given as mass per cent. This experiment will refer to composition
as mole fraction phenol.
Generally, both liquids become more soluble with rising temperature until the critical
solution temperature or consulate point is attained, and above this point the liquids become
completely miscible. There is a big possibility that any pair of liquids can form a closed
system, whereby both upper and lower critical solution temperature exist, however it is not
easy to determine both the temperature except for nicotine and water. At any temperature
below the critical solution temperature, the composition for two layers of liquids in
equilibrium state is constant and does not depend on the relative amount of these two
phases.

If small amounts of phenol are added to water, at first the phenol dissolves to yield one
phase; however, at some point in the addition the water becomes saturated and further
addition of phenol yields two liquid layers, one rich in water and the other rich in phenol.
Such liquids are partially miscible. Liquids which are partially miscible form solutions which
are far from ideal. The lower critical temperature is the temperature below which the two
substances mix in all proportions and above which they form the two phases.
The highest temperature at which the separation occurs is called the upper critical
temperature.

Procedures
Phenol (10g) were weighed (accurately to 0.1g) into a large boiling tube and water (4ml)
was added from a burette. The tube was fitted with a cork.
A thermometer and a stirrer were inserted into the tube and the mixture was heated in a
beaker of warm water until the two layers merged.
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The outside of the tube was dried and the contents of the tube were allowed to cool while
stirring vigorously.
The temperature at which the liquid just became cloudy was noted, denoting the
appearance of the second phase.
Four more additions of 4ml, then one of 6ml and two of 12ml of water were made, and re-
determining the miscibility point after each addition.
The mixture was finally poured into a large vessel (250ml beaker) and water (40ml) was
added. The mixture was heated until it became clear.
Part of this solution was replaced into the boiling tube and the miscibility point was
determined.

Treatment of results

Volume of %composition of %composition by Miscibility

water(ml) Phenol by mass mass of water Temperature(°c)
4.00 71.4 28.6 57
8.00 55.6 44.4 60
12.00 45.5 54.5 65
16.00 38.5 61.5 68
20.00 33.3 66.7 68
26.00 27.8 72.2 66
38.00 20.8 79.2 63
50.00 16.7 83.3 60
90.00 10.0 90.0 55

mass of phenol
% composition by mass of phenol ¿ x 100
mass of water + massof phenol
10 10
X 100 = 71.4% x 100 = 33.3%
(10+ 4) (10+20)
10 10
X 100 = 55.6% x 100 = 27.8%
(10+ 8) (10+26)
10 10
X 100 = 45.5% x 100 = 20.8%
(10+12) (10+38)
10 10
X 100 = 38.5% x 100 = 16.7%
(10+16) (10+50)
10
X 100 = 10.0%
(10+ 90)
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The miscibility temperature against

composition by weight of phenol

70

60
miscibility tem-
perature(⁰C)

50

40
5 15 25 35 45 55 65 75
composition by weight(%)

Discussion
From the plotted graph, the critical temperature or upper consulate temperature is 68°C.
In the case of phenol and water, the mutual solubility increases with an increase in
temperature. At this temperature, all the combination of phenol and water are completely
miscible and yield one-phrase liquid systems. The critical solution temperature obtained was
slightly different from the theoretical value of 66.8°C. This could possibly due to several
errors that occurred during the experiment which include the tubes are not tightly sealed
and heat will lose to the surrounding which will in turn affect the temperature measured. As
we known that phenol is a volatile component so it will easily evaporates into the
surrounding and this will in turn reduce the concentration of the phenol. Besides, parallax
error might occur while we are taking the reading of the thermometer or measuring the
volume of relative phenol and water. Other than that, we must be aware and alert when
taking the temperature of the solution become clear and cloudiness. This is because the
changes in temperature might be too fast and we might fail to obtain accurate results.
Thus, there are some precautions that need to be taken such as sealed the tube
tightly using aluminum foil and foil to prevent the evaporation of phenol. Parallax error
should be avoided as we must place our eyes perpendicularly to the lower meniscus of the
liquid. The reading of the thermometer when the solution turns cloudy and clear should be
taken immediately to increase the accuracy of the results.

CONCLUSION

The critical solution temperature of the phenol-water system is 68 °C. The solubility of
two partially miscible liquids of phenol-water system is depends on two factors which are
the temperature and the concentration of phenol in the water by volume.
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So phenol is not readily soluble in water

REFERENCE

1. Retrieved from: https://jeplerts.wordpress.com/2008/12/21/partially-miscible-liquids

determination-of-mutual- solubility-of-phenol-water/

2. Retrieved from: Patrick J. Sinko, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. Martin’s Physical
Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 5th Edition