Hydrodynamics of cholinium chloride-based aqueous biphasic systems (ABS): A key study for their industrial implementation

Aqueous biphasic systems (ABS) have been widely studied for extraction and purification processes. Although they are considered biocompatible, amenable, sustainable separation platforms, their application on an industrial scale remains impractical without proper scaling integration into existing To better understand the hydrodynamics of ABS formation, three cholinium chloride ([Ch]Cl)-based composed polypropylene glycol with a molecular weight 400 g.mol−1 (PPG-400), tripotassium phosphate (K3PO4), dipotassium hydrogen-phosphate (K2HPO4) were studied. The phase PPG-400/[Ch]Cl, [Ch]Cl/K3PO4 [Ch]Cl/K2HPO4 was by analysing relationship between mixing time (Tm) settling (Ts), at 25 °C 50 °C. results showed that Ts is independent Tm, which very long polymer/salt (Ts > 6 h), while salt/salt ABS, fast observed < 150 s). each system then correlated physicochemical properties coexisting phases nature phase-forming compounds. increase in salting-out effect inorganic salts, consequent larger differences compositions phases, improved [Ch]Cl-based ABS. With tie-line lengths, composition stabilized, resulting also more stable constant Ts. correlations obtained this work allow definition best operating region within (liquid-liquid) [Ch]Cl/salt-based as being largest TLLs LLE region. these criteria operation crucial design implementation types processes using conventional mixer-settler units.