liquid–liquid extraction cloud-point extraction CHMO:0001601 CPE cloud point extraction The process of transferring a non-ionic surfactant from one liquid phase to another by heating. As the temperature of the solution rises, the surfactant molecules form micelles, if the temperature increases above the cloud point (CPT) the micelles become dehydrated and aggregate. This leads to macroscopic phase separation of the solution into a surfactant-rich phase and a solvent phase.