Solvents for sustainable chemical processes

Abstract

The properties and some key applications of solvents such as (1) supercritical fluids (SCFs), (2) gas-expanded liquids (GXLs) and organic-aqueous tunable solvents (OATS), (3) water at elevated temperature (WET), and (4) switchable solvents like reversible ionic liquids (RevILs) are discussed in this review. Each system offers a unique set of properties to enable alternative strategies for varied applications. These applications range from chemical transformations, product separation, catalyst recycling, nanomaterial processing, and CO₂ capture. For each application, however, the common thrust is to enable greener and sustainable solutions for chemical processes.