Peptizing Action of Some Polar Substances on the Benzene Solution of Cobalt Oleate

WE have found that the viscosity of the solution of cobalt oleate in non-polar solvents such as benzene and carbon tetrachloride is unusually high even at low concentrations and, in addition, shows a tendency to increase more and more with time of ageing of the solution, while in polar solvents such as pyridine and chloroform no such reactions have been observed (Fig. 1). The high viscosity found for benzene or carbon tetrachloride solutions of cobalt oleate is to be ascribed to the formation of linear high polymeric structure of cobalt oleate in these solvents. We have also found that the addition of small amounts of certain polar substances to the benzene solution of cobalt oleate decreases its viscosity to almost the value for the solvent alone.