Optimisation and Scale-Up of Supercritical Fluid Extraction Processes

Dear Colleagues,

The ultimate ambition of the fundamental and applied research on supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and fractionation is the development of a next generation of benign products and sustainable chemical processes.

Notwithstanding the fact that it is frequently and erroneously associated to prohibitive investments, the SFE is being progressively accepted as a green, selective, and cost-effective industrial alternative for the production of valuable extracts and oils from vegetable and animal biomasses. There are already more than 150 SFE commercial units worldwide, many of them devoted to natural products. This number will certainly increase in the near future, where one may expect that multipurpose plants and hybrid and combined processes will prevail.

In this context, accurate optimization and scale-up studies are decisive to unequivocally validate and promote the implementation of efficient SFE-based units and new business opportunities. Here, the use of computational tools for process modeling and simulation, combined with sound design and economic principles, is inherently well positioned for a desired industrial ratification.

The intercrossed complexity of aspects underlying a SFE process (e.g., mass transfer mechanisms, physicochemical interactions between the target molecules and the micro-structure of biomass, operating conditions, patterns of flow, and equipment geometry) requires a comprehensive knowledge of theory and technical principles, which undoubtedly join academics and specialized companies.

It is my pleasure to invite you to participate in this Special Issue of journal Materials, titled “Optimisation and Scale-up of Supercritical Fluid Extraction Processes”, by submitting back your communication, review or full paper at your earliest convenience. Materials currently has an Impact Factor of 2.651 and 5-Year Impact Factor of 3.350.

Dr. Carlos M. Silva
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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