Salt Mixtures Effect on Aqueous Two-Phase System Composed of Triton X-100 as a Nonionic Surfactant: Experiment and Correlation
摘要
This study investigates an aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) composed of TX-100, Na2CO3, K2CO3, and their salt mixtures at 298 K. Binodal curves, tie-lines, tie-line lengths (TLL), and slopes (TLS) were determined as key equilibrium parameters. The effects of salt mixtures and their salting-out capacities were systematically compared, revealing that sodium cations (Na+) exhibit stronger salting-out power than potassium (K+), consistent with prior literature whether evaluated as individual salts or mixed systems. The obtained binodal and liquid–liquid equilibrium data were further correlated using the Othmer-Tobias, Bancroft, and Setschenow models. Notably, the Bancroft and Setschenow equations demonstrated excellent agreement with the results, while the Othmer-Tobias model showed deviations. These findings provide insights into phase behavior and ion-specific effects in ATPS, with potential applications in separation processes and biomolecule purification.