Critical exponent for the viscosity of four binary liquids

We have measured the viscosity of four binary mixtures near their consolute points: (1) methanol+cyclohexane, (2) isobutyric acid+water, (3) nitroethane+3-methylpentane, and (4) 2-butoxyethanol+water. The viscosity data are consistent with the power-law divergence: η∼‖T−Tc‖−y, with an apparent viscosity exponent in the range 0.0404<y<0.0444. Recent theoretical estimates for y are near 0.032, which is outside the experimental range. The value of y is independent of whether the critical point is an upper or a lower consolute point and of whether the approach toward Tc is at constant pressure or at constant volume. Our torsion oscillator viscometer is unique in its simultaneous low frequency (∼1 Hz) and low shear rate (∼0.1 s−1), allowing its use close to the critical point before encountering non-Newtonian fluid behavior associated with critical slowing down. Nevertheless, we find quantitative evidence for viscoelasticity near the critical point.

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