THE DISCONTINUITY IN THE ADSORPTION OF GASES, VAPORS, AND LIQUIDS ON SOLID SURFACES AT THE CRITICAL TEMPERATURE UNDER CRITICAL PRESSURE: SYSTEM PROPYLENE-ALUMINA

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Abstract
An apparatus and a technique for studying the adsorption of gases, vapors and liquids on solid surfaces are described. The arrangement permits investigations in the region of the critical temperature and the critical pressure. Results with the system propylene and alumina are given. Adsorption from the gas and vapor phases indicates the formation of a surface complex which is unstable at low pressure and high temperature. The density of the adsorbed phase is greater than that of the bulk phase. There is no discontinuity in adsorption processes with a change from vapor state to gaseous state. No evidence was obtained of an increase in critical temperature on the surface of the solid. Adsorption does not occur from the liquid state, and there is a marked discontinuity in the adsorption curve with a change from liquid state to gaseous state. This is probably due to a change in the forces of attraction between liquid molecules and the solid as compared with the attraction between gaseous or vapor molecules and the solid surface. If this is the case it is further evidence for the discontinuity in the region of the critical temperature, which has been previously observed in other experiments in this laboratory.

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