Projects / Programmes
Purification and formulation of chemicals using supercritical fluids
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 2.02.00 |
Engineering sciences and technologies |
Chemical engineering |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| T350 |
Technological sciences |
Chemical technology and engineering |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 2.04 |
Engineering and Technology |
Chemical engineering
|
Chemical engineering, supercritical fluids, hydrogen peroxide purification, encapsulation-entrapment
Researchers (17)
Organisations (3)
Abstract
The proposed project will contribute to developing new supercritical fluid SCF applications and setting new processes concepts. One of the biggest challenges that should be addressed is the lack of fundamental data on thermodynamic behaviour and transport properties, necessary for design of purification and product formulation process of raw hydrogen peroxide.
The main aim of the project is development of a green completely new process for purification of hydrogen peroxide without use of conventional organic solvents, lower energy consumption, no waste streams. In addition, encapsulation-entrapment of liquid hydrogen peroxide in solid powderous material will be developed. This is a completely new technology - encapsulated hydrogen peroxide is not yet available on the market yet.
In the first part of the project, completely new concept of separation of by-products from the main stream of the process using supercritical fluids will be investigated. The goal is to obtain extreme purity of the product which cannot be achieved by other distillation, adsorption or liquid – liquid extraction methods. Therefore, basic thermodynamic and transport properties of binary and ternary systems will be determined experimentally. Later lab and pilot scale experiments for purification of raw hydrogen peroxide will be performed.
In the second part of the project a process for formulation-encapsulation-entrapment of high purity product in specific powderous form will be investigated. The traditional methods for product formulation of specific products with customer designed properties involve either high or low temperatures, necessary for melting and/or viscosity reduction, or use of hazardous organic solvents. Due to the undesirable environmental and biological impact of these solvents, intensive research is focused on seeking new and cleaner methods for the processing of thermal unstable compounds. Supercritical fluids offer promising techniques with a great potential in the preparation of new products with customer designed properties.
For identification of impurities in quality of the product modern analytical methods like (HPLC, HS-GC-MS, LC-MS/MS).
On the technology readiness level (TRL) we expect that the proposed new developed process will be in range TRL 3-5. New process for production of pure hydrogen peroxide and encapsulation-entrapment of hydrogen peroxide in powder form will increase the competitiveness of industrial partner Belinka Perkemija d.o.o. on a global scale.
Significance for science
Applying supercritical fluids may overcome the drawbacks of several conventional processes for processing and formulation of products. The use of unique characteristics of SCF (transportation characteristics, melting force, etc.) will increase the industrial competitiveness of Slovenia and at the same time create environmental and economic benefits for Slovenia and also for the EU. The technologies developed with the help of SFC have globally proven as one of the most important sustainable technologies with almost zero impact to the environment.
Main goal of the project is separation of by-products from the main stream of the process using supercritical fluids and formulation of obtained high purity product in specific product. The project results will have important implications for further research and industrial application. Depending on the project results, they will be used mostly in chemical, and pharmaceutical industries.
The knowledge obtained by the implementation of the research objectives in the context of the proposed project can be later further applied to other materials and other systems, beyond the medical and pharmaceutical fields.
In presented project new technology for cleaning hydrogen peroxide by reducing energy needs and practically zero environmental impacts will be developed. In the addition a new product - encapsulated hydrogen peroxide, which is not yet available on the market will be produced.
On the same time there will be investment of private sector in research and development at the Universities and will enable cooperation between research institutions and industry.
Significance for the country
The main objective of the project is to separate the by-products from the main process stream using supercritical fluids. Within the framework of the proposed project, we want to obtain a product (hydrogen peroxide) with high purity, which is impossible to achieve with conventional methods such as distillation, adsorption or liquid-liquid extraction. Afterwards the formulation of the obtained product with high purity in a particular product using high-pressure technologies (PGSSTM) will be investigated.
The results will help to develop new research directions in the field of hydrogen peroxide purification on an industrial scale using sustainable technologies.
The results of the project will contribute to the design of a new hydrogen peroxide purification process and formulation of this into a new product, which will increase the competitiveness of the project partner and co-financier Belinka Perkemija d.o.o.
The results of these studies will help to:
The development of new research directions in the field of hydrogen peroxide purification on an industrial scale through the use of sustainable technologies,
enhancing the competitiveness and growth of enterprises by developing innovations that follow the needs of European and global markets,
strengthening innovation and integrating new skills.
Development of new, cleaner procedures for production of special chemical products is one of the basic challenges of chemists and chemical engineers not only in Slovenia but globally, for without cleaner procedures our lives and development would not be sustainable. It is of great importance that EU and Slovenia play a leading role in such development if we want the chemical industry to benefit from those results. The research within this project will offer new technologies with small impact to the environment and local knowledge for high added value products, marketed in Slovenia and worldwide. The use of unique characteristics of supercritical fluids (transportation characteristics, melting force, etc.) will increase the industrial competitiveness of Slovenia and at the same time create environmental and economic benefits for Slovenia and also for the EU. With new high quality and competitive products and technologies we will increase the production program and extent, and create a possibility to open new job positions.
Most important scientific results
Interim report
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Interim report
