Acyl Lactylate Purification via pH-Controlled Extraction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing processes for synthesizing acyl lactylates result in mixtures containing lactic acid and fatty acid, making it difficult to achieve high-purity separation due to the strong hydrophobic nature of the components, which hinders effective liquid-liquid extraction.
Innovation Solution
A method involving dispersion in a polar carrier, adjusting the pH to 5-9, and extracting fatty acid into an immiscible solvent, followed by multi-stage counter-current extraction, allows for the separation of fatty acid and acyl lactylate from the mixture, enabling the recovery of high-purity products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If liquid-liquid extraction is used to separate fatty acid and acyl lactylate, then separation is attempted, but the strong hydrophobic nature of both components causes them to remain in the same phase, making separation ineffective
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the pH parameter of the aqueous phase to separate components based on their acid-base properties. Fatty acids are extracted at pH 2-4 where they remain protonated and hydrophobic, while acyl lactylates are extracted at pH 8-10 where they are deprotonated and hydrophilic, enabling effective liquid-liquid extraction despite both components' hydrophobic character
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses pH adjustment as an intermediary mechanism to modify the extraction behavior of components. By controlling the protonation state through pH, the process creates differential solubility in the aqueous-organic system, allowing selective extraction of fatty acids and acyl lactylates into different phases
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional extraction methods are used, then the process is simple, but the product purity remains low due to co-extraction of fatty acid and acyl lactylate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs preliminary pH adjustment before extraction to pre-condition the mixture for selective separation. The first extraction at low pH removes fatty acids before the second extraction at high pH recovers acyl lactylates, ensuring high purity products while maintaining process simplicity through sequential batch operations
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple extraction steps are implemented to achieve high purity, then product purity increases to at least 90%, but process complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses periodic pH adjustment between extraction steps to achieve high purity separation. By alternating between acidic and basic conditions in sequential extractions, the process efficiently removes different components in distinct stages, achieving at least 90% purity while minimizing total processing time through optimized pH switching
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method effectively separates fatty acid and acyl lactylate, achieving purity levels of at least 90%, with the potential for solvent recycling, reducing costs and improving economic viability.
Implementation Method 1
providing a dispersion of said mixture in a polar carrier
Implementation Method 2
extracting the fatty acid from the dispersion carrier mixture into a solvent immiscible with said polar carrier
Implementation Method 3
allowing said acidified raffinate to separate into two layers and separating the lower, aqueous layer from the residual layer of acyl lactylate
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
A method for separation of fatty acid from a mixture comprising fatty acid, the corresponding acyl lactylate and lactic acid, said method comprising the steps of: a) providing a dispersion of said mixture in a polar carrier; b) adjusting the dispersion mixture to a pH of from 5 to 9; and, c) extracting the fatty acid from the dispersion carrier mixture into a solvent immiscible with said polar carrier, thereby obtaining a fatty acid solution and an aqueous raffinate comprising lactic acid and fatty acid lactylate. The polar carrier comprises, by weight of said carrier, from 70 to 100 wt.% of water and from 0 to 30 wt.% of one or more miscible, polar co-solvents. The aqueous raffinate may be further processed by: i) acidifying said raffinate to a pH of from 0 to 3; and, either ii)a) allowing said acidified raffinate to separate into two layers and separating the lower, aqueous layer from the residual layer of acyl lactylate, or ii)b) extracting the fatty acid lactylate from the acidified raffinate into a second solvent which is immiscible with said aqueous raffinate, thereby obtaining an acyl lactylate solution.