Fourier transform infrared study on hydrogen bonding species of carboxylic acids in supercritical carbon dioxide with ethanol

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy has been used to determine the equilibrium constants of the dimerization for carboxylic acid (acetic acid or palmitic acid) and the amount of hydrogen bonding species between carboxylic acid and ethanol in supercritical CO₂. Experiments were carried out at 308.2-313.2 K and 10.0-20.0 MPa. The noticeable band was the C=O stretching band for carboxylic acid. In the binary system (supercritical CO₂ + carboxylic acid), the equilibrium constants of the dimerization between the carboxylic acid monomer and dimer decrease with increasing pressure and temperature. The equilibrium constants of palmitic acid are larger than those of acetic acid. In a ternary system (supercritical CO₂ + carboxylic acid + ethanol), the amount of hydrogen bonding species between carboxylic acid and ethanol in supercritical COa increases with the increasing mole fraction of added ethanol. Furthermore, the authors confirm that the solubility enhancement by ethanol used as an entrainer in supercritical CO₂ relates to the amount of hydrogen bonding species between carboxylic acid and ethanol.