Work on Nonideal Gases

Like gases, solutions can also be thought of as ideal. Raoult s law only works for ideal solutions. Ideal solutions are described as those solutions that follow Raoult s law. Solutions that deviate from Raoult s law are nonideal. What makes a solution deviate from ideal behavior The main reason is intermolecular attractions between solute and solvent. When the attraction between solute and solvent is very strong, the particles attract each other a great deal. This makes it more difficult for solute particles to enter the vapor phase. As a result, fewer particles will enter that state and the vapor pressure will be lower than expected. Remember, Raoult s law operates on the assumption that the reason for a decrease in the number of particles leaving the solution is that fewer can be on the surface in order to leave. If, in addition to this, the solute particles are also holding more tightly to the solvent particles, then fewer will leave the surface than expected. The most ideal solutions are those where the solvent and solute are chemically similar. 

The kinetic equation for methanol production is based on work by Natta et al. [137] and Cappelli and Dente [138] and accounts for the nonideal behavior of the reacting gases. 

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