Concentration-dependent diffusion of lithium, sodium, potassium, and cesium hydroxides in water

The diffusion coefficients of aqueous solutions of lithium, sodium, potassium, and cesium hydroxide in a concentration range of 0 to 3.0 mol/L were obtained at 25 °C and normal pressure. The Fizeau interferometer and the spatial phase-shifting method were used to measure the spatial distribution of concentration of the investigated substances. The concentration dependence of the diffusion coefficient was determined from the Matano-Boltzmann analysis. The experimental setup and techniques, as well as the image and data processing procedure, were tested using an aqueous solution of nitric acid. The comparison made for lithium, sodium, and potassium hydroxides indicated good agreement between the obtained results and the data collected from the literature. The concentration dependence of the diffusion coefficient for cesium hydroxide in water was found experimentally for the first time.