Designing switchable solvents for sustainable process development

Novel solvents utilizing a reversible CO₂ induced property switch are presented. The synthetic procedure for designing the solvents is discussed, along with detailed characterizations on both solvent forms to serve as a tool for optimal solvent identification as well as future solvent design. A reflectance infrared spectroscopic technique is introduced to allow for the examination of CO₂ and solvent composition under high pressures and temperatures. The magnitude of solvent property changes afforded by this "switch" creates opportunities for sustainable processing; discussed are the application to coupling reactions and separations, and CO₂ capture. The switchable solvents are shown to serve as effective media for running reactions, with the switch providing facile recovery of products and catalysts for solvent recycling. Lastly, the switch itself is exploited to provide for the separation of CO₂ from low partial pressure feed streams, and structure-property relationships were successfully used to develop next generation materials with enhanced absorption capacities. The viscosity of the solvents, as a function of temperature and composition, is also presented.

Department dc:contributor.department

Chemical Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Georgia Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2010

Author dc:creator

• Hart, Ryan J.

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Eckert, Charles A.
• Liotta, Charles L.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Hess, Dennis
• Jones, Christopher W.
• Koros, William

• Reversible ionic liquids
• CO₂ capture
• Reactions
• Separations

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1853/39631

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.gatech.edu:1853/39631