TERNARY SYSTEMS OF POTASSIUM SOAP, ALCOHOL, AND WATER .I. PHASE EQUILIBRIA AND PHASE STRUCTUCTURES

Phase equilibria have been studied at 20°C in the systems potassium caprylate-decanol-water, potassium caprate-octanol-water, and potassium olcate-decanol-water. The boundaries of the regions of the different phases were as a rule determined by centrifuging specimens from the two- and three-phase zones and subsequent analysis of the separated layers. Besides solid crystalline soap, all three systems contain two solution phases and a number of (4-6) mesomorphous phases. X-ray diffraction studies of the structure of the mesophases disclosed two lamellar mesophases and several mesophases with particle structure; of the latter three with Bragg spacing ratios of 1: 1 2: 1 3 two with a two-dimensional hexagonal structure, and two that are optically isotropic and have a cubic structure. The homogeneous mesophases differ distinctly in appearance under the polarizing microscope. © 1969.