Abstract

Refractive index is a characteristic parameter of fluids with numerous industrial uses. The values of refractive indices of many pure liquids are known or can be found in the literature. However, when experimental values of the liquid mixtures are not available then refractive indices of binary mixtures and multi-component liquids are frequently assessed from the pure constituents using mixing rules. The refractive indices  of binary mixture and pure liquids methyl laurate (M.L) and pentan -2-ol (P) over the entire mole fraction range at five temperatures (298.15, 303.15, 308.15, 313.15, and 318.15K) were measured using an Anton-Paar Abbemat 3200 refractometer and were tested with the traditional equations, viz Gladstone-Dale (G.D), Lorentz-Lorentz (L.L), Weiner-relation (W.R) and Heller-relation (H.R). The excess refractive indices  were calculated using measured experimental refractive indices  and  ideal refractive indices. The values of excess refractive indices were found to be negative at low mole fractions and positive over the high mole fractions. The experimental data for binary mixture involving methyl laurate + Pentan-2-ol authenticate the mixing rules.

Key words: Excess refractive index, binary mixture, mixing rules, methyl laurate.