Supercritical phase behavior: The entrainer effect

One of the keys to lowering the cost of supercritical extraction processes is to find appropriate cosolvents (entrainers) that maintain or improve selectivity while increasing the solubility. This solubility enhancement is of great commercial interest; however until recently there was no way to predict either for which systems or under what conditions it would occur. We show that the entrainer effect is caused by a chemical association between the cosolvent and the solute. Further, we present a model that explicitly accounts for these chemical associations. Finally, we show that data and analysis techniques already established for associations in liquid solvents (especially spectroscopic and solvatochromic techniques) can be used to make qualitative predictions of the entrainer effect in a supercritical fluid.     

固体溶质在超临界三元系统中的溶解度

溶质在超临界流体中的溶解度数据是研究超临界流体技术的基础.本文对纯组分固体溶质有夹带剂存在的超临界流体三元系统中,夹带剂增大溶质溶解度的作用进行了总结,述评了夹带剂增大溶质溶解度的机理和常用的计算模型.此外,针对两种固体混合溶质共存于超临界流体中的三元系统,讨论了混合溶质共存对彼此溶解度的影响及其相关的理论假说和计算模型.     

Solubility of disperse yellow 54 in supercritical carbon dioxide with or without cosolvent

Extraction of disperse yellow 54 with supercritical carbon dioxide was conducted at 393.2 K and 30 MPa over a wide range of contact times. Saturated solubilities of the disperse dyestuff in supercritical carbon dioxide with or without cosolvent were also measured over the temperature and pressure ranges of 353.2 K to 393.2 K and 15 MPa to 30 MPa. Either ethanol or dimethyl sulfoxide, up to 5 mol%, was used as a cosolvent. As evidenced from the experimental results, the magnitudes of equilibrium solubility can be effectively enhanced in the presence of both two cosolvents. Dimethyl sulfoxide was found to yield higher solubility enhancement. Cosolvent effects were discussed on the basis of the Kamlet-Taft solvatochromic solvent parameters of cosolvents. The saturated solubility data were correlated with the Chrastil and the Mendez-Santiago and Teja equations. The Chrastil model correlated the solubility data to about within the experimental uncertainty. The correlated results of the Mendez-Santiago–Teja model supported the consistency of the solubility data over the entire experimental conditions.     

Phase equilibria of supercritical C02-ethanol-stearic acid ternary system and hydrogen bonding between ethanol and stearic acid

Solubility of stearic acid in supercritical C0₂ with ethanol cosolvent was determined at 308.15 K in the pressure range from 8 to 16 MPa, and the cosolvent concentration ranges from 0 mol% to 4 mo1%. The corresponding densities of the fluid phases were also measured. It was observed that ethanol enhances the solubility significantly. The solubility increases with pressure noticeably at lower pressure, especially at lower cosolvent concentrations. The effect of pressure on the solubility is very limited at higher pressures or higher cosolvent concentrations. The hydrogen bonding between ethanol and stearic acid in supercritical C0₂ was also studied using FTIR in order to understand the mechanism of the solubility enhancement by ethanol. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 29633020).     

Phase diagrams of liquid-liquid equilibria for the systems water-phosphoric acid-solvent entrainer at 313.15 and 333.15 K

Liquid-liquid equilibria data have been determined for the ternary system of water + phosphoric acid + solvent entrainer (1,4-dimethylbenzene, 1,2-dichloroethane, and n-hexane) at 313.15 and 333.15 K. Experiments were carried out at atmospheric pressure using stirred and thermo-regulated cells. The ternary phase diagrams were obtained by the experimental solubility and tie-line data. The Othmer-Tobias equation was used to correlate the tie-line compositions. The measured liquid-liquid equilibrium data were compared with the non-random two liquid activity coefficient model. Root mean square deviations between experimental and calculated compositions were considered satisfactory. It was showed that the non-random two liquid model of all ternary systems presented very good satisfactory results with root mean square deviations so that this model was highly appropriate to calculate thermodynamic properties of the ternary solutions. The liquid-liquid equilibrium thermodynamic properties of water + phosphoric acid + solvent entrainer can be used in research on the nature of mixing behavior of the ternary system for molecular models and industrial applications in concentration the phosphoric acid aqueous solution.     

Modified mass action law-based model to correlate the solubility of solids and liquids in entrained supercritical carbon dioxide

The solubility of solids and liquids in supercritical CO2 with added entrainers was modeled with a modified version of the equation of Chrastil to include the effect of entrainers. By considering the formation of the solute-entrainer-solvent complexes an equation is obtained which predicts an exponential increase of solubility with fluid density and/or entrainer concentration. The correlating model was tested by non-linear regression through a computerized iterative process for several systems where an entrainer was present. Four experimental parameters are easily regressed from experimental data, hence the corresponding properties of components such as chemical potentials or critical parameters are not needed. Instead of its simplicity, this thermodynamical model provided a good correlation of the solubility enhancement in the presence of entrainer effect.     

Phase equilibria of supercritical CO_2-ethanol-stearic acid ternary system and hydrogen bonding between ethanol and stearic acid

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Solubility of thiophene in carbon dioxide and carbon dioxide + 1-propanol mixtures at temperatures from 313 to 363 K

Solubility measurements of sulfur compounds in supercritical fluids are required in order to determine the feasibility of supercritical extraction for removing them from gasoline and diesel fuel. In this work, solubility of thiophene in CO₂ and in CO₂ + 1-propanol mixtures were measured from 313 to 363 K using an apparatus based on the static–analytical method. Vapor–liquid equilibria (VLE) data of binary mixtures were fitted to the Peng–Robinson equation of state (EoS) with classical mixing rules. The binary interaction parameters (k_ij) obtained were used to predict the VLE data of ternary systems. The calculated values given by this simple model agree well to the experimental data.     

Entrainer effect on photochirogenesis in near- and supercritical carbon dioxide: dramatic enhancement of enantioselectivity

Diethyl ether added as an entrainer (cosolvent) to near- and supercritical CO2 significantly enhanced the enantioselectivity of photocyclization of 5,5-diphenyl-4-penten-1-ol sensitized by saccharide naphthalenedicarboxylate to give a cyclization product in enantiomeric excesses much larger than those obtained in conventional organic solvents, revealing the unique features of nc- and sc-CO2 as well as the critical role of entrainer clustering to the intervening diastereomeric exciplex pair.     

Measurement and correlation of solubility of benzamide in supercritical carbon dioxide with and without cosolvent

The experimental equilibrium solubility of benzamide in supercritical carbon dioxide was measured at temperatures between 308 K and 328 K and for pressures from 11.0 MPa to 21.0 MPa using a dynamic flow method. The effects of three cosolvents - ethanol, acetone and ethylene glycol, were investigated at a cosolvent molar concentration of 3.5%. The results showed that the solubility was enhanced by the presence of the three cosolvents, and ethanol exhibited the highest cosolvent effect. The solubility data in the absence and presence of cosolvents were correlated by two density-based models. The calculated results showed satisfactory agreement with the experimental data.     

Ash removal from viscous media by supercritical gas extraction

The separation of solid μ-sized particles from viscous media sometimes raises difficulties because sedimentation is too slow, so that use of a centrifuge is required. In the centrifuge, however, the particles may act as an abrasive material. Examples are finely dispersed solid ingredients in shale oil, in oils from tar sand, in hydrogenation process (slurries) suspensions etc.

The media containing the finely dispersed particles are processed with a compressed gas at high density using an entrainer. The conditions are chosen so that the ternary (or pseudoternary) system composed of supercritical gas, entrainer and viscous substance (or mixture) is supercritical. In this way, high concentration of the viscous medium are obtained in the gas phase. As the viscosity of the supercritical gas phase is relatively low, the density of the gas phase can be adjusted by variation of pressure and temperature so that the difference between the solid and the gas phase is sufficiently high for rapid separation of the solid particles. The velocity of sedimentation at constant temperature and pressure depends on the concentration of the viscous substance in the gaseous phase. Even at concentrations of the viscous medium in the gaseous phase, of 30 to 35 % in weight the velocity of sedimentation is sufficiently rapid for the process to be of economical interest.     

Measurement of ternary polymer/solvent equilibrium data by vapor-phase infrared spectroscopy

Vapor–liquid equilibrium (VLE) data for binary toluene/PVAC, methanol/PVAC and ternary toluene/methanol/PVAC systems have been measured at 100 °C by using vapor-phase infrared spectroscopy. Binary data have been compared with literature data measured by different experimental techniques and agreement between our measurements and others was found to be good. The ternary VLE data indicate that the solubility of methanol in PVAC is not influenced by the presence of toluene, while the solubility of toluene is lowered due to presence of methanol. To predict ternary VLE data, the Entropic free volume and Kannan free volume models and the Flory-Huggins theory were used. The predictive abilities of Flory-Huggins theory and the Kannan free volume model are similar and better than that of the Entropic free volume model.     

Solubility in supercritical carbon dioxide: importance of the Poynting correction and entrainer effects

Gibbs ensemble Monte Carlo simulations were used to investigate the effect of pressure and of entrainers on the solubility of low-volatility species in CO 2. Two entrainers were examined, n-octane and methanol, as well as two solutes, hexamethylbenzene and benzoic acid. For the three pressures studied (12, 20, and 28 MPa), the simulations demonstrate that the increase in the solubility with increasing pressure is mostly due to an increase in the solute's chemical potential (as expressed by the Poynting correction) and not due to an increase in the solvent strength of supercritical CO 2. The presence of an entrainer enhances solubility, particularly when the solute and entrainer can form hydrogen bonds. The solubility of benzoic acid is enhanced by an order of magnitude upon addition of methanol entrainer, whereas the enhancements are less than 2 for the other systems.     

Solubility of solid mixtures in supercritical fluids

Kurnik, R.T. and Reid, R.C., 1982. Solubility of solid mixtures in supercritical fluids. Fluid Phase Equilibria, 8: 93-105Supercritical fluids are receiving widespread attention as possible extraction agents for relatively non-volatile solids and liquids. Previous studies of the solubility of solids in supercritical fluids have been limited to pure solids. These pure-component data are interesting and indicate novel properties of supercritical fluids in this respect. The more general problem, however, lies in determining the solubility of multicomponent solids in supercritical fluids. Experimental data have now been obtained on the solubilities of binary, solid hydrocarbon mixtures in both supercritical carbon dioxide and supercritical ethylene. Most of the behavior exhibited by pure solids in supercritical fluids still exists for multicomponent solid solute systems (e.g., retrograde solidification, solubility extrema), but new phenomena were also found. The most interesting finding is that the solubility of a solid component when in a multicomponent solute system can be as much as 300% higher than the component solubility in a pure solid system at the same operating conditions. The multicomponent-solid-fluid data usually correlate well with thermodynamic theory.     

High-pressure fluid phase equilibria: Experimental methods and systems investigated (1994–1999)

As a continuation of an earlier review, a compilation of systems for which high-pressure phase equilibrium data have been published between 1994 and 1999 is given. Vapor–liquid equilibria (VLE), liquid–liquid equilibria (LLE), vapor–liquid–liquid equilibria (VLLE), solid–liquid equilibria, solid–vapor equilibria, solid–vapor–liquid equilibria, critical points, the solubility of high-boiling substances in supercritical fluids and the solubility of gases in liquids (GLE) are included. For the systems investigated, the reference, the temperature and pressure range of the data, and the experimental method used for the measurements is given in 39 tables. Most of experimental data in the literature has been given for binary systems. Of the 824 binary systems, 350 have carbon dioxide as one of the components. Information on 135 pure components, 337 ternary systems and 120 multicomponent systems is given. Experimental methods for the investigation of high-pressure phase equilibria are classified and described.     

Effect of cosolvent on solid phase transitions of α‐ to β‐form crystal of syndiotactic polystyrene occurred in supercritical Co2 containing solvent

The solid phase transition mechanism of α‐ to β‐form crystal upon specific treating with supercritical CO₂ + cosolvent on original pure α and mixed (α+β) form syndiotactic polystyrene (sPS) was investigated, using wide angle X‐ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry measurements as a function of temperature, pressure, and cosolvent content. As in the supercritical CO₂, sPS in supercritical CO₂ + cosolvent underwent solid phase transitions from α‐ to β‐form, and higher temperature or higher pressure favored this transformation. Due to the higher dipole moment of acetone, small amounts of acetone used as cosolvent with CO₂ made the transition of α‐ to β‐form occur at lower temperature and pressure than in supercritical CO₂, and made the α‐form crystal completely transform to β‐form in the original mixed (α+β) form, whereas ethanol did not. The original β‐form crystal in the original mixed (α+β) form sample acted as the nucleus of new β‐form crystal in the presence of cosolvent as it did in supercritical CO₂, when compared with the original pure α‐form sample. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 1625–1636, 2007     

Equilibrium solubility,preferential solvation and apparent specific volume of sucrose in some {cosolvent (1) + water (2)} mixtures at 298.2 K

Sucrose is the most widely used sweetener in food and pharmaceuticals. Solubility data of this excipient in aqueous cosolvent mixtures is not abundant. Thus, the main objective of this research was to determine and correlate the equilibrium solubility of sucrose in some {cosolvent (1) + water (2)} mixtures at 298.2 K. Cosolvents were ethanol, propylene glycol and glycerol. Shaken flask method was used to determine isothermal solubility. Concentration measurements were performed by means of density determinations. Solubility of sucrose decreases non-linearly with the addition of cosolvent to water. By means of the inverse Kirkwood–Buff method it is shown that sucrose is preferentially solvated by cosolvent in water-rich mixtures but preferentially solvated by water in cosolvent-rich mixtures. Jouyban–Acree model correlates solubility values with the mixtures composition for all cosolvent systems. Moreover, apparent specific volume of sucrose was also calculated from density and compositions.     

Solubility Behavior in Ternary Water-Salt Systems under Sub- and Supercritical Conditions

Summary.  Two main types of binary systems with distinctive solubility behavior under sub- and supercritical conditions were used to subdivide ternary water-salt systems into three classes. Characteristic features of solubility behavior and phase equilibria in ternary water-salt systems of each class at temperatures above 200°C are discussed on the basis of available experimental data and some conclusions obtained as a result of theoretical derivation of fluid and complete phase diagrams. Corresponding author. E-mail: Valyashko@IGIC.RAS.RU Received September 25, 2002; accepted (revised) November 28, 2002 Published online April 24, 2003 RID="a" ID="a" Dedicated to Prof. Dr. H. Gamsjaeger on the occasion of his 70^th birthday anniversary     

Solubilities of poly(ethylene glycol)s in the mixtures of supercritical carbon dioxide and cosolvent

The solubilities of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG6000) (M.W.=7500) in the mixtures consisting of supercritical carbon dioxide (CO₂) and cosolvent have been measured by observing the cloud points at 313.15 K and 16 MPa. Ethanol and toluene were used as cosolvents. The solubility of PEG6000 is extremely low in either CO₂ or ethanol, but becomes about 20 wt.% in a mixture of the two. The maximum solubility is achieved at about 50 wt.% (polymer-free) ethanol. The solubilities of PEG6000 in the mixtures of supercritical CO₂ and the cosolvent have been correlated by a regular solution model using the local compositions of solvents around a solute molecule, and an expanded liquid equation of state model.