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Updated: Aug 13, 2026

Phase Diagram Characterization Using Magnetic Beads as Liquid Carriers
Published on: September 4, 2015
Investigation and characterization of liquid two-phase systems for the separation of crystal mixtures by interfacial
Martijn A Hoeben1, Pim van Hee, Rob G J M van der Lans
1Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, Julianalaan 67, 2628 BC Delft, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
The interfacial partitioning behavior of ampicillin and phenylglycine crystals in different two-phase systems has been investigated. The two-phase systems employed are water/dodecane, water/1-butanol, and water/pentane/methanol. By means of partition experiments and microscopic imaging, it has been shown that the mechanism of separation strongly depends on the choice of the two-phase system. While water/dodecane features a mechanism of sheer competitive adsorption at the interface, separation in water/1-butanol is mainly due to partitioning into both liquid phases, leading to a higher degree of separation. Experiments with water/pentane/methanol have illustrated the large potential of three-component systems, as slight variations in the composition can have large effects on the separation.
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