Question

What are Immobilized solvents?

Answer 1

A solvent is that part of a solution that is present in a large quantity, while a solute is that part of a solution that is present in a smaller quantity. Immobilization of any substance means to restrict the flowing capacity of any substance.

Complete answer:
Mobility of any substance is its property to move, while immobility does not allow any movement. As we know that the atoms in a liquid allows some movement, while that of a gas allows maximum movement, and that in solids, the movement of atoms is reduced and restricted. So, it can be inferred that the mobility of liquids are more than solids.
A solvent is a liquid with subsequent amounts of mobility, when the mobility of solvents are restricted, then they are known as immobilized solvents.
It can be a process to transfer the desirable properties of a liquid solvent, into a solid catalyst. This will reduce the mobility of the liquid solvents and then they can be immobilized. The immobilized solvents will have a greater magnitude, and higher viscosity. They will have a slow absorption rate due to less mobility.
Hence, immobilized solvents are the liquid solvents whose flow or mobility is restricted and converted into a solid immobilized phase.

Note: Immobilized solvents are applied in the enzyme action on cells. The enzymes are subjected to immobilization for the exchange of substrates, or other molecules. Immobilized solvents have a surface area of the order from 1 to 2.