CO2: a wild solvent, tamed

This article reviews approaches for modification of solvent properties of supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2), with particular reference to self-assembly of oligomeric and polymeric solute additives. Of special interest are viscosity modifiers for scCO2 based on molecular self-assembly. Background on polymers and surfactants with CO2-compatible functionalities is covered, leading on to the attempts made so far to increase the scCO2 viscosity, which are described in detail. The significance of this field, and the implications a breakthrough could bring environmentally and economically will be addressed.