A Study of Ultrasonic Velocity and Absorption in Liquid Mixtures

The absorption and velocity of sound in binary mixtures of water with alcohols, glycols, and glycol ethers have been measured at frequencies in the range of 5–25 megacycles, using the optical diffraction method originally developed by Debye, Sears, Lucas, and Biquard. However, the method of absorption measurement has been improved by utilization of a high gain, secondary multiplier‐type photo‐tube viewing the first‐order diffraction spectrum, the change in intensity of this spectrum being an index of the sound absorption in the liquid. This method has proved more rapid and precise than other diffraction techniques described in the literature.Ultrasonic absorption peaks at intermediate concentrations have been found in mixtures containing acetone, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, and tertiary butanol and in the monoethyl and monobutyl glycol ethers. In both series, the magnitude of the peaks increases as one progresses from the ethyl to the butyl derivative, and there is a simultaneous shift of the peak tow...