Supercritical CO2 (SF CO2) is a solvent that can be used as an alternative to hexane and other organic solvents when running chemical reactions. Working under moderate pressures, just over 1,100 psi. and very moderate temperatures just above 31oC, liquid CO2 enters the supercritical region. It is here where we can run supercritical fluid reaction chemistry (SFR).
SF CO2 is a relatively non-polar solvent, but its solvating power may be fine-tuned thru the control of pressure and temperature.
There are many reasons to consider SF CO2 to be your reaction media. Some practical considerations include: It’s inexpensive, non-toxic, non-flammable and it’s not carcinogenic. From the scientific standpoint, the ability to affect the reaction chemistry and kinetics is most appealing. Applications for SFR include various syntheses, such as those used in the pharmaceutical industry and for catalyst research.
SFT makes reactors specifically designed for SFR both in the research laboratory and the process scale up lab. Learn more at: https://www.supercriticalfluids.com/products/chemical-reactors
