Role of Hydrodynamic Interaction in the Diffusion of n-Alkanes in Carbon Tetrachloride

The diffusion coefficients of a series of normal paraffins in carbon tetrachloride have been determined by the Rayleigh interferometric method. The dependence of the frictional coefficient on chain length has been examined in terms of a theory which takes into account the hydrodynamic interaction between segments of the diffusing molecule. If average intersegment distances are calculated on the basis of simple models, values for frictional coefficients are predicted which are in good agreement with the experimental results.