4. Unconventional applications

4.1 Reactions in supercritical media

The "scalable" physico-chemical properties of supercritical fluids have led many researchers to focus on the implementation of chemical and biochemical reactions in such a reaction medium. These properties are :

• high solvent power, enabling reactions to be carried out in a homogeneous medium, even with reactants that are not soluble in the same conventional solvent;

• a high reaction speed, as diffusion coefficients are much greater in the supercritical phase than in the liquid phase, thus reducing diffusional limitations, particularly for reactions carried out in heterogeneous or enzymatic catalysis;

• significantly higher heat and mass...