Cosolvent

rdf:langString Cosolvent

rdf:langString In chemistry, cosolvents are substances added to a primary solvent in small amounts to increase the solubility of a poorly-soluble compound. Their use is most prevalent in chemical and biological research relating to pharmaceuticals and food science, where alcohols are frequently used as cosolvents in water (often less than 5% by volume) to dissolve hydrophobic molecules during extraction, screening, and formulation. Cosolvents find applications also in environmental chemistry and are known as effective countermeasures against pollutant non-aqueous phase liquids, as well as in the production of functional energy materials and synthesis of biodiesel. The topic of cosolvency has attracted attention from many theorists and practicing researchers who seek to predict the solubility of compounds using cosolvent systems, and it is the subject of considerable research in scientific literature. Studies exist to propose and review methods of modeling cosolvency using calculation, to describe empirical correlations of cosolvents and observed solvation phenomena, and to report the utility of cosolvent systems in various fields.