Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE) uses fluids above their critical temperature and pressure as solvents to extract compounds from materials.
Supercritical carbon dioxide is the most common solvent due to its safety and tunable properties.
Above its critical point, a fluid like CO2 has gas-like diffusivity and liquid-like density, giving it excellent solvent power and penetration. By adjusting temperature and pressure, the solvent's selectivity can be tuned to extract specific compounds.
After extraction, simply lowering the pressure turns the CO2 back into gas, leaving a clean, solvent-free product — ideal for food, pharmaceutical and fragrance industries.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Branch | Chemical Engineering (CHE) |
| Topic Type | Technical Seminar / Project Report |
| Difficulty | Intermediate – Advanced |
| Best For | Final-year BTech seminars & presentations |
| Includes | Explanation, key points, FAQs & references |