Ternary System of Cyclohexanol + <i>o</i> -/ <i>m</i> -/ <i>p</i> -Cresol + Water: Measurement and Processing of Equilibrium Data at 298.15 and 308.15 K

Solvent extraction is an effective approach for the removal of phenolic compounds from coal chemical wastewater. Although extensive studies have focused on the extraction of phenol and polyhydroxy phenols, investigations specifically addressing cresol extraction remain relatively limited. In this work, LLE data for the ternary systems cyclohexanol + o-/m-/p-cresol + water were measured at 298.15 and 308.15 K under atmospheric pressure. The performance of cyclohexanol was evaluated in terms of distribution coefficients (D) and separation factors (S). Binary interaction parameters were regressed using the NRTL and UNIQUAC models. The results indicate that cyclohexanol exhibits high extraction efficiency for cresols, following the order p-cresol > o-cresol > m-cresol. With an increasing cresol mass fraction in the aqueous phase, the D decreases, while the S initially increases slightly and then decreases. An increase in temperature leads to a moderate reduction in both the D and S, with a maximum decrease of less than 8.5%. The regressed NRTL and UNIQUAC models show excellent agreement with experimental data, with RMSD values below 0.97%, satisfying accuracy requirements. Thermodynamic consistency and model reliability were further verified using a MATLAB GUI tool. These results demonstrate that cyclohexanol is a promising extractant for cresol removal from aqueous solutions.