Microwave-assisted Ag-IL for extraction separation of α-olefins: Mechanistic insights and process intensification

The actual applications of extraction methods for α -olefins separation are limited by their long time and high energy consumption. Hence, this study employs microwave technology to intensify the extraction process using Ag-based ionic liquid (Ag-IL), where the influence of microwave irradiation and the mechanism of microwave-assisted ionic liquid extraction (MAILE) are investigated, along with a comprehensive techno-economic analysis of process feasibility. The results of COSMO-RS and DFT simulations demonstrate the dominant role of π-complexation in identifying Ag-IL with high selectivity, indicating the possible enhancement caused by microwave irradiation. The subsequent kinetic experiments show that compared with conventional routes, the MAILE accelerated the extraction process by approximately 89.72%. As a result, the total annual cost of unit product of the overall process is reduced by 6.43% according to techno-economic analysis by Aspen Plus, indicating that MAILE is a cost-effective, scalable, and sustainable approach to α -olefin separation, offering process efficiency and environmental sustainability.