DISCUSSION

Based on the VLE unit experiment, the composition of methanol in liquid and vapor can be
determined from the refractive index that had been recorded. By using the density of water as 1
g/

and the density of methanol as 0.79 g/

, we can calculate the mole fraction of water

and methanol. The mass of methanol and water can also be calculated using their density and
based on the volume of methanol and water that we had been used in this experiment.
We mixed different volume of methanol starting from 0.1L to 5L with the constant 3L of water
in this experiment. From the result, we can see that the temperature of liquid methanol is
decreased from 96.7
decreased from 91.8

to 67.8

as well as the temperature of vapor methanol that also

to 66.3

From the liquid and vapor sampling of methanol that we had been taken, the refractive index can
be determined by using the refractometer. The reading of refractive index for the vapor methanol
decreased from 1.3356 to 1.3318 while for the liquid methanol, the refractive index increased
from 1.3326 to 1.3372. Besides that, the mole fraction of methanol is increased when the mole
fraction of water is decreased.
Based on the x-y graph, when the mole fraction of vapor methanol, y increased the mole fraction
of liquid methanol, x will also increase. The VLE diagram shows the bubble point and dew point
of the binary mixture at constant pressure which is at 1 atmospheric pressure. Bubble point is the
point at which the first drop of liquid of mixture begins to vaporize whereas dew point is the
point at which the first drop of gaseous mixture begins to condense. The diagonal y-x serves for
determination of azeotropic mixture. Based on the plot, a curve is obtained. The curve also
known as the equilibrium line represents the compositions of vapor and liquid of the mixture at
equilibrium.
By comparing the experiments equilibrium line with that of the ideal equilibrium line, our group
only managed to obtained a slightly curve equilibrium line. Random error might had occurred,
such as recording the non-steady temperature reading of the vapor and liquid unit from TIC-01
and TIC-02 when it is supposed to get the steady temperature. These affect the value of the vapor

and liquid mol fraction calculated by using the obtained temperature and also affect the x-y
equilibrium diagram, in which the ideal equilibrium line is not obtained.

An equilibrium diagram with ideal equilibrium line, using literature values of vapor and
liquid compositions (mol fractions).
Source: http://lorien.ncl.ac.uk/ming/distil/distilvle.htm

However, the obtained equilibrium curve from this experiment does not cross the diagonal line
to obtain azeotropic points where azeotropes occur. Azeotrope is a liquid mixture which when
vaporized, produces same composition as the liquid. Hence, the methanol and water system is
non azeotropic as the vapor does not produce same composition as liquid when vaporized. The xy equilibrium diagram follow Raoults Law . Thus, we can say that the methanol-water mixture
is an ideal solution.

Two VLE plots with two different azeotropic systems, one with a maximum boiling point
and one with a minimum boiling point. (non-ideal solutions)
Source: http://lorien.ncl.ac.uk/ming/distil/distilvle.htm

The graph of refractive index versus mol fraction is the calibration curve of this experiment that
is vital for the determination of the unknown mole fractions of samples taken from the boiling
mixtures. With the help of the curve, the T-xy graph can be plot. However, Antoines Law can
also be used to estimate the composition of methanol in vapor and liquid state.
Based on the T-xy graph of methanol- water system, the composition (mol fraction) of liquid is
higher than the composition of vapor at high temperature. The extreme end of the graph
represents the boiling point of the pure methanol and boiling point of pure water which is 91.8C
and 96.7C respectively. Pure water has lower vapor pressure than pure methanol. The vapor
pressure of a pure substance is the pressure exerted by the substance against the external pressure
which is usually atmospheric pressure. Vapor pressure is a measure of the tendency of a
condensed substance to escape the condensed phase. The larger the vapor pressure, the greater
the tendency to escape. When the vapor pressure of a liquid substance reaches the external
pressure, the substance is observed to boil. Hence, pure water has higher boiling point than that
of methanol in the binary system at 1 atm because it has lower vapor pressure.

In addition, the result that obtain may not accurate enough as there are some technically
problems occur while conducting the experiment. The water supply from the sources did not
come with enough pressure for the experiment to be able to conduct efficiently. So, the data
affected the graph and it is not as clean enough.

CONCLUSION

Based on the experiment that have been conducted, we can conclude that our experiment is
successful although there are some errors that occurred during the experiment. The relationship
between the vapor and liquid at equilibrium is determined where the graph of equilibrium has
been drawn. It showed that when the liquid mol fraction of methanol increased, the vapor mol
fraction of methanol is also increased. Effect of initial mixture composition upon the boiling
temperature and vapor-liquid phase compositions are also can be determine where the higher the
composition of methanol at initial, the higher will be its composition in the vapor and liquid. As
mentioned in discussion part, Antoines Law has been used to estimate the composition of
methanol in vapor and liquid state. From the result of this experiment, it can be concluded that
the composition of methanol in vapor is higher than liquid due to the volatility of methanol
which is more volatile than water. Besides, the pressure is kept constant during the experiment
which is at atmospheric pressure 1 atm. Also, water has higher boiling point than that of
methanol in the binary system at 1atm because it has lower vapor pressure.