Supercritical Chromatography for Long-Chain Diacid Purification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercial production of long-chain diacids via biological methods faces challenges in separating and purifying these compounds due to similar structures with impurity acids, resulting in low purity and high impurity levels, which affect the quality and performance of products like high-end nylons and fragrances.
Innovation Solution
The method employs chromatography using a stationary phase such as adsorption resin, activated carbon, floridin, or silica gel, with specific eluting conditions to separate and purify long-chain diacids, achieving high purity and low impurity levels, suitable for industrial-scale production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If biological fermentation method is used to produce long-chain diacids, then production cost is reduced and sustainability is improved, but separation and purification difficulty increases due to similar structures between impurity acids and target products
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical-chemical parameters of the separation process by using supercritical carbon dioxide as the mobile phase and controlling temperature and pressure parameters. This enables effective separation of long-chain diacids with similar structures while maintaining cost-effectiveness and achieving high purity products from biological fermentation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a chiral stationary phase as an intermediary that selectively interacts with different diacid enantiomers and impurities. This mediator enables differentiation and separation of compounds with similar structures through specific host-guest interactions, resolving the purification difficulty
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple steps of chemical reactions are used to prepare long-chain diacids, then product purity can be improved, but production complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes impurity acids and by-products from the fermentation broth through a single supercritical fluid chromatography step. This extraction approach achieves high purity without requiring multiple chemical reaction steps, thereby reducing production complexity while maintaining product quality
3Manufacturing precision
If conventional chromatography methods are used for separation, then purification can be achieved, but industrial-scale application is limited due to high cost and low efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the mobile phase from conventional liquid solvents to supercritical carbon dioxide, and adjusts operating parameters (temperature, pressure, flow rate) to optimize both separation efficiency and industrial scalability. This enables high-purity separation at industrial production scales with improved productivity and reduced costs
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 and purifies long-chain diacids, achieving high purity and low impurity levels, suitable for industrial-scale production, reducing waste and pollution, and ensuring high-quality products like high-end nylons and fragrances.
Implementation Method 1
The target long-chain diacid(s) and impurities have different interacting forces with the chromatograph stationary phase
Implementation Method 2
eluting the at least one long-chain diacid from the stationary phase with at least one eluent
Data Source
AI summary
A method for the separation and purification of at least one long-chain diacid, comprising:introducing an impure preparation comprising at least one long-chain diacid to a stationary phase of a chromatograph; andeluting the at least one long-chain diacid from the stationary phase with at least one eluent.