Supercritical fluids are neither gas nor liquid, but can be compressed gradually from low to high density and they are therefore interesting and important as tunable solvents and reaction media in the chemical process industry. By adjusting the density the properties of these fluids can be customised and manipulated for a given process - physical or chemical transformation. Separation and processing using supercritical solvents such as CO2 are currently on-line commercially in the food, essential oils and polymer industries. Many agencies and industries are considering the use of supercritical water for waste remediation. Supercritical fluid chromatography represents another, major analytical application. Significant advances have recently been made in materials processing, ranging from particle formation to the creation of porous materials. The chapters in this book provide tutorial accounts of topical areas centred around: (1) phase equilibria, thermodynamics and equations of state; (2) critical behaviour, crossover effects; (3) transport and interfacial properties; (4) molecular modelling, computer simulation; (5) reactions, spectroscopy; (6) phase separation kinetics; (7) extractions; (8) applications to polymers, pharmaceuticals, natural materials and chromatography; (9) process scale-up.

Packed Column SFC is the third title to be published in this series and has been produced as a result of the dramatic re-emergence, in the last three years, of packed column instrumentation. This has led to a redefinition of the technique and an urgent need for a practical guide that deals with its subtleties. This book fulfils that need and deals exclusively with packed column SFC. It places the emphasis on understanding the underlying chemistry in order to perform rapid, systematic optimizations and provides many practical tips to help the new user avoid problems unique to SFC. It also proposes a detailed scheme for method development and provides lists of prioritized guidelines. The book clears up some of the confusion that surrounds the analytical use of supercritical fluids and assists the user in understanding the power and utility of this technique. Detailed chapters cover the most promising new application areas for packed column SFC, which are often overlooked in the mainstream chromatography literature. Like the other books in this popular series, Packed Column SFC will prove an invaluable guide and is essential reading for graduates, postgraduates and researchers with interests in pharmaceuticals, agricultural chemistry, small polar drug molecules, chiral analysis, environmental chemistry, and chromatography/instrumentation.

Supercritical fluids which are neither gas nor liquid, but can be compressed gradually from low to high density, are gaining increasing importance as tunable solvents and reaction media in the chemical process industry. By adjusting the pressure, or more strictly the density, the properties of these fluids are customized and manipulated for the particular process at hand, be it a physical transformation, such as separation or solvation, or a chemical transformation, such as a reaction or reactive extraction. Supercritical fluids, however, differ from both gases and liquids in many respects. In order to properly understand and describe their properties, it is necessary to know the implications of their nearness to criticality, to be aware of the complex types of phase separation (including solid phases) that occur when the components of the fluid mixture are very different from each other, and to develop theories that can cope with the large differences in molecular size and shape of the supercritical solvent and the solutes that are present.

Here, authors specializing in different branches of chromatography--including gas chromatography, supercritical fluid chromatography, and high-pressure liquid chromatography--describe their fields while drawing out connections with other branches.

In the next 10 to 15 years, chemical engineers have the potential to affect every aspect of American life and promote the scientific and industrial leadership of the United States. Frontiers in Chemical Engineering explores the opportunities available and gives a blueprint for turning a multitude of promising visions into realities. It also examines the likely changes in how chemical engineers will be educated and take their place in the profession, and presents new research opportunities.