Research Outputs

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Publication
    Development of an asymmetric cellulose acetate-ionic liquid P6,6,6,14[PHOS] gel membrane for the perstraction of succinic acid from a model fermentation solution of yarrovia lipolytica
    (Elsevier, 2024) ;
    Zurob, Elsie
    ;
    Quijada-Maldonado, Esteban
    ;
    Castro-Muñoz, Roberto
    ;
    Romero, Julio
    ;
    Plaza, Andrea
    This study introduces a novel approach to separate succinic acid (SA) from fermentation mixtures using an asymmetric membrane based on the gelation of the ionic liquid [P6,6,6,14][PHOS] coated with two layers of cellulose acetate. The membrane was designed to explore the synergistic effect of polymer-ionic liquid interfaces according to the solution-diffusion theory. The gelation of the ionic liquid was achieved using 12-hydroxystearic acid at a concentration of 1.5%, allowing the use of ionic liquid gels as new materials for the generation of membranes. The perstraction performance of the membrane was evaluated over 5 h at two different temperatures (25◦C and 37◦C), with an initial feed solution concentration of 50 kg m− 3 for SA and glycerol and pure water as a receiving phase., Several flow rates and phase-volume ratios were studied anda mass transfer model based on the resistance-in-series theory was assessed to understand the behavior of each mass transfer stage considering the distribution in each interphase. Interestingly, optimal perstraction results were obtained at 37◦C, with an average transmembrane flux of 0.22 kg m-2h− 1 for SA, an extraction percentage of 43.1% for SA and 0.7% for glycerol, and a SA/glycerol selectivity of 54.98. Besides presenting a novel composite membrane, this study reports pioneering perstraction outcomes, highlighting its potential as an innovative SA separation strategy and structured new materials for selective extractions.
  • Publication
    [Tf2N]-based ionic liquids for the selective liquid-liquid extraction of levulinic acid/formic acid: COSMO-RS screening and ternary LLE experimental data
    (Fluid Phase Equilibria, 2022) ;
    Araya-López, Claudio
    ;
    Contreras, Javier
    ;
    Merlet, Gastón
    ;
    Olea, Felipe
    ;
    Villarroel, Eduardo
    ;
    Salazar, Ricardo
    ;
    Romero, Julio
    ;
    Quijada-Maldonado, Esteban
    The separation of Levulinic (LA) acid and Formic acid (FA) from aqueous streams represents an important and challenging separation in biorefineries, where ionic liquids (ILs) provide a sustainable environment for liquid-liquid extractions of these acids. In this work, a COSMO-RS screening of bis (trifluoromethylsulfonil)imide [Tf2N]− based IL was first conducted and then followed by experimental validation to search for the most suitable cation for this separation. After the screening, ternary liquid-liquid equilibrium experiments at 298.15K and the subsequent data correlation using the Non-Random Two Liquid model (NRTL) were performed for future industrial implementation. Results indicated that the phosphonium cations, especially the trihexylthetradecyl phosphonium cation [P66614]+, produced the highest selectivity rates among all the experimentally measured ILs.