Microwave‐assisted Ag‐<scp>IL</scp> for extraction separation of <i>α</i>‐olefins: Mechanistic insights and process intensification

Abstract 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.