Phase Equilibria for Separation Processes Involving Natural Products

The development of bio-based products and the sustainable use of forest-based raw materials demands the design of new separation processes involving natural products. In this research area, we aim to study the phase equilibria of systems containing key bioactive compounds of wide polarity (e.g. terpenes, phenolics) and different solvents. Due to the complex nature of natural products mixtures, the thermodynamic modeling of these systems is studied using group contribution methods with association effects, equations of state like PC-SAFT or quantum chemical approaches such as COSMO-RS.

Development of processes for terpenes and terpenoids purification
Development of processes for terpenes and terpenoids purification
Solid-Liquid phase diagrams measurement
Solid-Liquid phase diagrams measurement
Estimating melting properties of substances decomposing upon melting
Estimating melting properties of substances decomposing upon melting
Vapor-liquid equilibrium of α-pinene + s(-)-limonene at different pressures calculated using the Soave-Redlich-Kwong
Vapor-liquid equilibrium of α-pinene + s(-)-limonene at different pressures calculated using the Soave-Redlich-Kwong
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
M.A.R. Martins, L.P. Silva, O. Ferreira, B. Schröder, S.P. Pinho, J.A.P. Coutinho. Terpene solubility in water and their environmental distribution. Journal of Molecular Liquids, 241, 996-1002, 2017
L. Fernandez, L.P. Silva, M.A. R. Martins, O. Ferreira, J. Ortega, S.P. Pinho, J.A.P. Coutinho. Indirect assessment of the fusion properties of choline chloride from solid-liquid equilibria data. Fluid Phase Equilibria, 48, 9-14, 2017
A.R.R. Teles, T.B.V. Dinis, E.V. Capela, L.M.N.B.F. Santos, S.P. Pinho, M.G. Freire, J.A.P. Coutinho. Solubility and solvation of monosaccharides in ionic liquids. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 18, 19722-19730, 2016
M.A.R. Martins, U. Domańska, B. Schröder, J.A.P. Coutinho, S.P. Pinho. Selection of Ionic Liquids to be used as Separation Agents for Terpenes and Terpenoids. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 4, 548-556, 2016
O. Ferreira, B. Schröder, S.P. Pinho. Solubility of hesperetin in mixed solvents. Journal of Chemical and Engineering Data, 58, 2616-2621, 2013