Supercritical fluid extraction is a process that uses supercritical fluids to separate one component from another. It works by taking advantage of certain fluids that have unique solvent properties above their critical temperature and pressure. These supercritical fluids can be used to extract compounds from solids more quickly and with less solvent than traditional techniques. Supercritical carbon dioxide is commonly used in supercritical fluid extraction due its low critical temperature and pressure. This technique has advantages like eliminating organic solvents, allowing continuous rapid extraction, and facilitating extraction of compounds that may degrade with heat.