Georgia Tech Research Corporation

Queen's University at Kingston

University of California

Degussa - Huls Ag

Arteva North America S.a.r.l.

Delta Air Lines, Inc.

Charles A Eckert

Charles L Liotta

Philip G Jessop

David J Heldebrant

James Seay Brown

Georg Thiele

Jeffrey Scott Hurley

David Anthony Schiraldi

Fenghua Deng

Henry Paris

Zhengui Liu

Brandon C Eason

Karen Chandler

David Rene Lamb

Heather Patrick Lesutis

Shane A Nolan

Jie Lu

A solvent that reversibly converts from a nonionic liquid mixture to an ionic liquid upon contact with a selected trigger, e.g., contact with CO, is described. In preferred embodiments, the ionic solvent is readily converted back to the nonionic liquid mixture. The nonionic liquid mixture includes an amidine or guanidine or both, and water, alcohol, or a combination thereof. Single component amine solvents that reversibly convert between ionic and non-ionic states are also described. Some embodiments require increased pressure to convert; others convert at 1 atmosphere.

Switchable solvents and methods of use thereof

Methods of enhancing the solubility of a fluorinated compound in an organic solvent are provided. In one embodiment, carbon dioxide gas pressure is applied to the solvent at a pressure effective to enhance the solubility of the fluorinated compound. The method may further include recrystallizing the fluorinated compound by reducing the pressure of the carbon dioxide gas. Also provided are methods of conducting a reaction using a fluorinated compound in an organic solvent. In one embodiment, the method comprises applying carbon dioxide pressure to an organic solvent comprising at least one substrate and a fluorinated catalyst, in an effective amount to solubilize the catalyst; and permitting the fluorinated catalyst to catalyze the reaction of the substrate to form a product. The catalyst is optionally separated from the reaction product and solvent after the reaction by the release of the pressure.

Methods for solubilizing and recovering fluorinated compounds

A method treats an article and more specifically an aircraft surface in order to prevent icing and to provide a coating that emits very low volatile organic compounds (VOC) during application and setting. Icing on critical aircraft surfaces creates dangerous conditions that impair the stability of the aircraft. The specific areas are referred to as &ldquo;cold-soak&rdquo; conditions and some areas on the &ldquo;leading edges&rdquo; of the wings. The invention eliminates icing on these surfaces. Ice will not form on the surface of certain polymer coatings with low surface energy such as Teflon. This is a consequence of the high contact angle between the water droplet and the surface that establishes a non-wetting surface. The invention implements such coatings and a deposition process. The coating may be used for other objects such as automobiles, consumer products, such as refrigerators, stoves, etc.

Surface treatments for articles and vehicles

The esterification of a carboxylic or polycarboxylic acid, such as terephthalic acid, with ethylene oxide is conducted in the presence of a supercritical or near critical fluid with an esterification catalyst to form a monoester such as 2-hydroxyethylterephthalate (MHET). The monoester can be easily removed from the involatile terephthalic acid/catalyst bed by continuous extraction with supercritical fluid before subsequent reaction to the diester occurs. The esterification catalyst, such as quaternary ammonium salts, are at least substantially insoluble in the supercritical fluid and capable of withstanding prolonged exposure to elevated temperatures. The process is highly selective to formation of monoesters, and economical. The process can be modified for production of bis-esters or higher esters. The monoesters are polymerizable and can be used as monomers in the production of polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate.

Method for esterification of carboxylic or polycarboxylic acid in the presence of supercritical fluids and catalysts therefor

A process for the production of an epoxide and/or its corresponding vicinal diol by a reaction of an olefinic compound with hydrogen peroxide, wherein the reaction is performed in the presence of a carbon dioxide phase at a temperature and a pressure above the critical point of carbon dioxide.

Process for the epoxidation of olefinic compounds

Growing community of inventors

Atlanta, GA, United States of America

Charles A Eckert