Why is SCF CO2 better than Ethanol Extraction?
Ethanol is what is called a “polar” solvent and it will be more hydrotropic, meaning it will want to bind to the water-soluble components of the plant. The result is a less pure, and a generally less potent end product that needs more post processing than CO2 extracts. Most ethanol extraction proponents argue that these drawbacks can be avoided by keeping very cold temperatures below -5F. This is true, but what needs to be considered is the additional work to make the crystalline is costly and hard to scale up for production.
Ethanol Pros -Generally more lenient storage requirements for large amounts -If done properly, elimination of a de-wax step
Ethanol Cons -polar solvent and will pull more water-soluble components like chlorophyll -higher boiling point making recovery slower and more difficult -post processing requires more labor. The CannabisSFE 3×1 allows continuous extraction with an easy to use system.