Very high solubilities of hydrogenated n-alkyl CO2-philes in supercritical carbon dioxide at moderately low temperature and pressures

Abstract

Unusually high solubilities, up to 80 wt %, of long-chain n-alkyl surfactants such as a polyethylene glycol mono-n-alkyl ethers, n-alkyl esters, and acids have been observed in CO₂ at the moderately low temperature and pressure of 308 K and 7.9 MPa, respectively. A very strong structure-solubility relationship for hydrogenated n-alkyl surfactants in supercritical carbon dioxide is explained in terms of the CO₂-philicity of the surfactants.