Solubility of a spiroindolinonaphthoxazine photochromic dye in supercritical carbon dioxide: Experimental determination and correlation

The measurement and correlation of the experimental solubility of a spiroindolinonaphthoxazine photochromic dye (1,3-dihydro-3,3-dimethyl-1- isopropyl-6′-(2,3)-(dihydroindole-1-yl)spiro[2H-indole-2, 3′-3H-naphtho[2,1-b] [1,4] oxazine]) in supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂) is reported. Results were obtained using a static analytical method, at 308.0, 318.0 and 328.0 K, and in a pressure range from 10.0 to 26.0 MPa. Solubility experimental data were correlated with three density-based models (Chrastil, Bartle and Méndez-Santiago-Teja models), with the Ziger-Eckert semi-empirical correlation and with two cubic equation-of-state (EOS) models, namely the Peng-Robinson EOS (PR-EOS) and the Soave-Redlich-Kwong EOS (SRK-EOS), together with the conventional van der Waals mixing and combining rules. Good correlation results were obtained between the calculated and experimental solubility, to all fitted models. Solubility results clearly indicate the feasibility of processing this dye, and possibly this class of photochromic dyes, using supercritical fluid technologies and processes, for example, supercritical fluid dye impregnation of polymer host materials.