Liquid-liquid equilibrium measurement and thermodynamics modeling for the systems water + thioglycolic acid + isopropyl ether/methyl tert-butyl ether at 298.15 and 308.15 K

Abstract To separate thioglycolic acid (TGA) from its aqueous mixture, isopropyl ether and methyl tert-butyl ether were adopted as extractants, and the liquid-liquid equilibrium data for the ternary systems water + TGA + isopropyl ether/methyl tert-butyl ether were determined at 298.15 K and 308.15 K under pressure of 101.3 kPa. The influence of the different extractants and temperatures on the phase behavior was explored. In addition, the measured experimental data were correlated by the nonrandom two-liquid (NRTL) and universal quasi-chemical (UNIQUAC) activity coefficient models, and the binary interaction parameters of the two models were also optimized.