High-pressure phase behaviour measurement of (CO2 + ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) and (CO2 + di-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) binary mixture systems

Abstract

Ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) and di-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (DEGDMA) are two of the most wildly used di-functional monomers in the polymer industry. The EGDMA and DEGDMA are applied to cross-linking polymerisation for improving the physical and chemical properties of synthesized polymers. However, residual and unreacted EGDMA and DEGDMA applied to the synthesis of dental composite and super-absorption polymer poses a health threat. This problem can be solved by using supercritical CO2, which has high diffusivity and causes polymer swelling. To design and operate the supercritical fluid extraction process using scCO2, high pressure phase behaviour data are required. The pressure–composition (P–x) isotherms for the (CO2+EGDMA) and (CO2+DEGDMA) binary mixture systems were measured using the static method with a variable-volume view cell at temperatures ranging from (313.2 to 363.2)K. The experimental data correlation was performed using the Peng–Robinson equation of state (PR-EOS) and the Van der Waals one fluid mixing rule. The critical constants for the PR-EOS were estimated by the Joback method and the Marrero–Gani method. The acentric factor was estimated by the Lee–Kesler method. The Marrero–Gani method showed better correlation results than the Joback method and the EGDMA is more soluble in the supercritical carbon dioxide than the DEGDMA.