POROUS LIQUID, SELF-REPLENISHING POROUS LIQUID AND METHODS OF MAKING AND USING THE SAME
The present disclosure relates to a porous liquid or a porous liquid enzyme system that includes a high surface area solid and a liquid film substantially covering the high surface area solid. The porous liquid or porous liquid enzyme may be contacted with a fluid that is immiscible with the liquid film such that a liquid-fluid interface is formed. The liquid film may facilitate mass transfer of a substance or substrate across the liquid-fluid interface. The present disclosure also provides methods of performing liquid-based extractions and enzymatic reactions utilizing the porous liquid or porous liquid enzyme of the present disclosure. The present disclosure also provides methods for selecting the components of the porous liquid or a porous liquid enzyme system and methods of self-replenishing the used liquid coating.
1 . A system comprising a high surface area solid capable of continuously refreshing an infused or encapsulating liquid coating, the high surface area solid comprising a reservoir configured to contain an infused or encapsulating liquid therein, wherein: i) at least one side of the reservoir includes solid features extending outward therefrom, and ii) the reservoir comprises at least one opening that allows the infused or encapsulating liquid to flow from the reservoir to the solid features.
2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one inlet to the reservoir for supplying liquid, pressure, or a combination thereof.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the solid features have:
a length that is no greater than about 100 times the width of the solid features;
a width of about 1 μm to about 10 mm; and/or
the solid features are about 10 μm to about 1,000 μm apart.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one opening has a width of about 1 μm to about 1,000 μm;
the reservoir has a width, a length, or both that is as least about 0.1 mm; and/or
the reservoir has a height that is at least about 0.1 mm.
5 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a fluid in contact with the infused or encapsulating liquid, wherein the fluid is immiscible with the infused or encapsulating liquid such that a liquid-fluid interface is formed.
6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the liquid-fluid interface is capable of facilitating mass transfer of at least one substance or substrate across the interface.
7 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the fluid is a gas.
8 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the fluid comprises carbon dioxide.
9 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the infused liquid comprises an amine, potassium hydroxide, or both.
10 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the fluid is a liquid.
11 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the fluid comprises furfural, the infused liquid comprises toluene, the high surface area solid comprises polyethylene, or combinations thereof.
12 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the fluid comprises water, the infused liquid comprises glycol, or combinations thereof.
13 . A method comprising:
A) providing a system comprising:
(i) a high surface area solid comprising a reservoir configured to contain liquid, wherein the reservoir comprises: a) solid features extending outward from at least one side, b) at least one opening that allows liquid to flow from the reservoir to the solid features, and c) at least one inlet;
(ii) a liquid film covering at least 30% of the surface area of the high surface area solid; and
(iii) a fluid comprising at least one contaminant, wherein the fluid is immiscible with the liquid film and forms a liquid-fluid interface with the liquid film;
B) allowing at least part of the at least one contaminant to transfer from the fluid across the liquid-fluid interface to the liquid film; and
C) adding additional liquid to the inlet to replace at least part of the liquid film coating.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the components of the system are selected initially such that a spreading number, Sn, is at least −0.5, wherein spreading number is calculated as follows:
S
n
=
γ
SW
-
γ
OS
-
γ
OW
γ
OW
;
γ SW is the interfacial tension between a high surface area solid phase and a fluid phase;
γ OS is the interfacial tension between an infused liquid phase and the high surface area solid phase; and
γ OW is the interfacial tension between the infused liquid phase and the fluid phase, wherein γ SW , γ OS , and γ OW are calculated as described herein.
15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the additional liquid is added after the concentration of the contaminant in the liquid film is:
a) greater than it was initially;
b) above a threshold concentration that results in decreased transfer efficiency or displacement of the infused liquid film coating; and/or
c) above a threshold concentration that results in a spreading number Sn that is less than or equal to −0.5.
16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the components of the system are selected initially such that at least one of the following conditions is met:
0≤ S n ; or
−0.5≤ S n <0.
17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the high surface area solid comprises:
a) a rough or textured surface;
b) a surface area of greater than 0.001 m 2 /g; or
c) both.
18 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the solid features have an average dimension in a range of 0.1 μm to 1000 μm and are located about 0.1 μm to about 500 m apart.
19 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the high surface area solid includes wool, glass, glass wool, polyethylene, insoluble fibers, polyethylene wool, quartz, quartz wool, fibers, polymer fibers, an additive manufactured structure, or a combination thereof.