Azeotropes

An azeotrope is a mixture of two or more liquids that behaves uniquely during boiling. Unlike typical mixtures, the vapor produced has the same composition as the original liquid, meaning they evaporate together at a specific ratio. This makes separating the components through normal distillation impossible once that ratio is reached. Azeotropes can be either more volatile (boiling at a lower temperature) or less volatile than the individual liquids, depending on their interactions. They are important in industries like alcohol production and chemical manufacturing because they influence how mixtures can be purified or separated.