Electromotive-force studies of mixed electrolytes in mixed solvents. HCl+NH4Cl in methanol+water solvents at 25°C

Electromotive-force measurements of the cell Pt, H₂(g, 1 atm)|HCl(m₁), NH₄Cl(m₂), methanol(X%), Water(100–X)%|AgCl|Ag have been made at 25°C for m₁+m₂=1 mole-kg^–1 and X=0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50% methanol by weight. Hydrochloric acid obeys Harned's rule in aqueous solutions, but a quadratic term is required in the mixed solvents. The Harned coefficients for the acid vary with solvent composition, and this invalidates the applicability of Harned's method for estimating activity coefficients for single electrolytes in mixed solvents. This method is described and the reason for the inapplicability of the method is discussed in terms of ion-ion and ion-solvent interactions.