NOVEL CLEANING PROCESS USING CARBON DIOXIDE AS A SOLVENT ANDEMPLOYING MOLECULARLY ENGINEERED SURFACTANTS

摘要

The separation of a contaminant from a substrate that carries the contaminan t is diclosed. The process comprises contacting the substrate to a carbon dioxide fluid containing an amphiphilic species wherei n the contaminant associates with the amphiphilic species and becomes entrained in the carbon dioxide fluid. The substrate is then separat ed from the carbon dioxide fluid, and then the contaminant is separated from the carbon dioxide fluid.