Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Science/2017 October 21

= October 21 =

Ternary ideal mixture obtained from non-ideal binaries
Is it possible to get a(n) (almost) ternary ideal solution/mixture from two non-ideal binary mixture with different sign of deviation from ideality: one binary with negative deviation and the other with positive deviation so that the opposite sign cancel each other, thus producing a practically ideal ternary solution? What properties of mixtures data is available for this possibility? (Thanks!)--82.137.11.130 (talk) 21:50, 21 October 2017 (UTC)
 * Generally, you would have to consider the deviation from ideality of all 3 binary pairs, so that ΔHAB + ΔHBC + ΔHAC = 0, though there are probably nearly ideal binary solutions where one of the enthalpies of mixing can be ignored. I'm not sure that what you propose is possible, but here are some references that might get you started (with a lot of work) from a mathematical angle: this  from here  talks about the thermodynamics of non-ideal solutions and what some of the non-ideal terms mean.  This  briefly extends the concepts to ternary solutions.  This  (mostly behind a pay wall) discusses mathematical modeling of non-ideal ternary solutions.  Between them, you might be able to get a good idea of what causes non-ideality and how to counteract it.
 * Solution thermodynamics applies to the solid state as well as the liquid, and is a fundamental study in the field of metallurgy, and more generally materials science (see for example the examples from geology above). Textbooks on metallurgy will have entire chapters devoted to it.
 * Regarding your second question, there are tables of enthalpies of mixing and heats of solution. Perry's Handbook for Chemical Engineers, 7th Edition, table 2-224 pp.2-201 to 2-203 lists some heats of solution of inorganic compounds.
 * There may be a much simpler answer to your question, say an example of where this has been accomplished, or at least tried, but so far I haven't found it.--Wikimedes (talk) 22:19, 22 October 2017 (UTC)