Phase behavior of tetrahydrofurfuryl methacrylate and poly(tetrahydrofurfuryl methacrylate) in supercritical carbon dioxide

Abstract

High pressures phase behavior data for the CO2/tetrahydrofurfuryl methacrylate (THFMA) systems are presented at (313.2–393.2) K and up to 22.07 MPa. The system exhibits the Type-I phase behavior with a continuous mixture-critical curve. The solubilities of poly(tetrahydrofurfuryl methacrylate) [P(THFMA)] + THFMA or dimethyl ether (DME) in supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) were measured up to 490.5 K and 289.83 MPa. The cloud-point pressure for the P(THFMA) + CO2 system shifts to lower pressures as adding THFMA and DME as a cosolvent. P(THFMA) in pure CO2 did not dissolve up to the temperature of 498 K and pressure of 300.0 MPa. All experimental results with vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) for the CO2/THFMA binary system and the cloud-point phase behaviors for the P(THFMA)/CO2/cosolvent ternary systems were adequately modeled by the PC-SAFT equation of state. Calculation of the results with the PC-SAFT model showed that the UCST-type phase behavior is mainly due to governed by the interaction between the same species (i.e., between THFMA and THFMA, and between CO2 and CO2), rather than that between different species (i.e., between THFMA and CO2).