Solvent properties, desirable viscosity

Low temperature filtration (qv) is a common final refining step to remove paraffin wax in order to lower the pour point of the oil (14). As an alternative to traditional filtration aided by a propane or methyl ethyl ketone solvent, catalytic hydrodewaxing cracks the wax molecules which are then removed as lower boiling products. Finished lubricating oils are then made by blending these refined stocks to the desired viscosity, followed by introducing additives needed to provide the required performance. Table 3 Usts properties of typical commercial petroleum oils. Methods for measuring these properties are available from the ASTM (10). 

An organosol is the same mixture as described above, with the addition of solvent to reduce viscosity. These find their major applications in coatings. The solvent is evaporated before fusion of the film. Various pigments, colorants, stabilizers and fillers may be added, depending on the desired properties. Emulsion polymerization resins are generally employed because of their fast fusion rates. Coarser particle sized PVC resins would require extended time at the elevated temperature. 

Carbon dioxide is an appealing solvent in which to conduct biocatalysis, mostly because of the desirable physical properties of the solvent. Two of the most influential solvent properties are its high diffusivity and low viscosity. Solvent properties and product solubility are easily varied, especially near the critical temperature and pressure. 

A substance is said to be in the gaseous state when heated to temperatures beyond its critical point. However, the physical properties of a substance near the critical point are intermediate between those of normal gases and liquids, and it is appropriate to consider such supercritical fluid as a fourth state of matter. For applications such as cleaning, extraction and chromatographic purposes, supercritical fluid often has more desirable transport properties than a liquid and orders of magnitude better solvent properties than a gas. Typical physical properties of a gas, a liquid, and a supercritical fluid are compared in Table 1. The data show the order of magnitude and one can note that the viscosity of a supercritical fluid is generally comparable to that of a gas while its diffusivity lies between that of a gas and a liquid. 

Viscosity is another important property of solvents. High viscosity implies high power requirement for the flow of the solvent. Low viscosity means the solvent will flow easily however, it may not be desirable in many applications. For example, a paint may need a solvent with optimum viscosity, which will neither drip out of the brush easily nor will stick to the brush so... 

During the extraction of otganic species, it may be desirable to modify the solvent. An inert paraffinic compound or mixture may be blended with a suitable modifier (e.g., a species that hydrogen bonds) to enhance the solvent properties. Such properties might include viscosity, density, surface tension, or attraction for the solute. In these cases, the mutual solubility curve may appear as in Fig. 7.2-4 when the solvent mixture is plotted at one vertex. Reasons for solvent blending may include improved solvent selectivity, interiacial tension, reduced solvent phase viscosity, and increased density differences between the two phases. A solvent that forms stable etnulstotte when mixed with the diluent phase, for example, may be suitable for use when it is modified with a suitable inert paraffinic material. 

Increasing relative molecular mass of the binder in the polymer film improves properties such as elasticity, hardness, and impact deformation, but also leads to higher solution viscosity of the binder. While the usefulness of a coating is enhanced by good mechanical film properties, low viscosity combined with low solvent content are also desirable for ease of application and for environmental reasons. Therefore, a compromise is necessary. 

Liquid inhibitors are rarely pure, for several reasons. Organic inhibitors seldom have optimum characteristics of viscosity, or freezing or boiling points therefore, they are dissolved in an appropriate solvent to achieve the properties desired. Furthermore, it is often desirable to blend the inhibitor with a de-emulsifier, dispersant, surfactant, anti-foaming agenfi or synergistic agent. 

Vinyls. Vinyl resins are thermoplastic polymers made principally from vinyl chloride other monomers such as vinyl acetate or maleic anhydride are copolymerized to add solubUity, adhesion, or other desirable properties (see Maleic anhydride, maleic acid, and fumaric acid). Because of the high, from 4,000 to 35,000, molecular weights large proportions of strong solvents are needed to achieve appHcation viscosities. Whereas vinyls are one of the finest high performance systems for steel, many vinyl coatings do not conform to VOC requirements (see Vinyl polymers). 

If one follows the solution viscosity in concentrated sulfuric acid with increasing polymer concentration, then one observes first a rise, afterwards, however, an abrupt decrease (about 5 to 15%, depending on the type of polymers and the experimental conditions). This transition is identical with the transformation of an optical isotropic to an optical anisotropic liquid crystalline solution with nematic behavior. Such solutions in the state of rest are weakly clouded and become opalescent when they are stirred they show birefringence, i.e., they depolarize linear polarized light. The two phases, formed at the critical concentration, can be separated by centrifugation to an isotropic and an anisotropic phase. A high amount of anisotropic phase is desirable for the fiber properties. This can be obtained by variation of the molecular weight, the solvent, the temperature, and the polymer concentration. 

In addition to providing highly selective separations, there are a multitude of other desired characteristics that a gas chromatographic stationary phase should possess. These properties include high viscosity, low surface tension allowing for wetting of the fused silica capillary wall, high thermal stability, and low vapor pressure at elevated temperatures. The stationary phase solvent should also not exhibit unusual mass transfer behavior. 

Molten salts are ionic liquids and as such can be utilized in a wide range of electrochemical applications where high conductivity and ionic mobility are required (Papa-georgiou et al., 1996). Their ionic nature renders them negligibly volatile in the liquid state. These properties as well as relatively low viscosity, the large electrochemical window, thermal stability, miscibility with solvents or other salts and hydrophobicity are a few of the desirable qualities found in certain molten salts. 

DILUENT. (I) An ingredient used to reduce the concentration of an active material to achieve a desirable and beneficial effect. Examples are combination of diatomaceous earth with nitroglycerin to term the much less shock-sensitive dynamite addition of sand to cement mixes to improve workability with no serious loss of strength addition of an organic liquid having no solvent power to a paint or lacquer to reduce viscosity and achieve suitable application properties. 

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