Supercritical Fluids: Properties, Formation and Applications

Supercritical fluids have emerged as a unique and promising class of materials for various applications owing to their tunable physical and chemical properties. These fluids are characterized by their state above the critical temperature and pressure, where they exhibit properties of both liquid and gas phases. Their properties, including density, viscosity, and diffusivity, can be finely tuned by precisely controlling their pressure and temperature. Furthermore, they possess excellent solvating properties that can dissolve a wide range of organic and inorganic compounds. Supercritical fluids are utilized in diverse fields, including materials science, pharmaceuticals, energy, and environmental remediation. Some of the popular applications include supercritical fluid extraction, supercritical drying, supercritical fluid chromatography, and supercritical fluid in materials sciences. This review provides an overview of the basic principles of supercritical fluids, their unique properties, and their recent advances and applications in different scientific fields