Microemulsions in supercritical CO2 utilizing the polyethyleneglycol dialkylglycerol and their use for the solubilization of hydrophiles

Abstract Novel polyethyleneglycol dialkylglycerol surfactants, 3-methyl-penta ethyleneglycol-2-octyl-1-pentylglycerol (CH 3 (OCH 2 CH 2 ) 5 OCH 2 CHO((CH 2 ) 7 CH 3 )CH 2 O(CH 2 ) 4 CH 3 ), 3-methylpentaethyleneglycol-2-pentyl-1-octylglycerol (CH 3 (OCH 2 CH 2 ) 5 O CH 2 CHO((CH 2 ) 4 CH 3 )CH 2 O(CH 2 ) 7 CH 3 ), 3-methylpentaethyleneglycol-2-(2-ethylhexyl)-1-octhylglycerol (CH 3 (OCH 2 CH 2 ) 5 OCH 2 CHO(CH 2 CH(C 2 H 5 )(CH 2 ) 3 CH 3 )CH 2 O(CH 2 ) 7 CH 3 ), 3-methylpentaethyleneglycol-2-(2-ethylhexyl)-1-(2-ethylhexyl)glycerol (CH 3 (OCH 2 CH 2 ) 5 CH 2 CHO(CH 2 CH(C 2 H 5 )(CH 2 ) 3 CH 3 )CH 2 OCH 2 CH(C 2 H 5 )(CH 2 ) 3 CH 3 ), were synthesized to evaluate the solubility and the possibility for the formation of stable microemulsions in supercritical CO 2 . The surfactants synthesized in this study were satisfactorily dissolved in supercritical CO 2 . However, the quantity of water, which can dissolve into the same system, was very little. It has also become obvious that small water droplets in CO 2 microemulsions stabilized by synthesized surfactants have an ability to incorporate hydrophiles, water-soluble dyes, at the same system.