Supercritical Fluid
What is Supercritical Fluid?
A supercritical fluid is a substance maintained above both its critical temperature and critical pressure, where distinct liquid and gas phases do not exist. Supercritical fluids have density closer to liquids (good solvating power) but diffusivity closer to gases (fast mass transfer). Supercritical CO₂ (Tc = 31.1 °C, Pc = 73.8 bar) is widely used as a 'green' solvent in food extraction (decaffeination), pharmaceutical processing, and dry cleaning.
Key Facts
Frequently Asked Questions
A supercritical fluid is a substance maintained above both its critical temperature and critical pressure, where distinct liquid and gas phases do not exist. Supercritical fluids have density closer to liquids (good solvating power) but diffusivity closer to gases (fast mass transfer). Supercritical CO₂ (Tc = 31.1 °C, Pc = 73.8 bar) is widely used as a 'green' solvent in food extraction (decaffeination), pharmaceutical processing, and dry cleaning.