Ionic liquids (ILs) are typically substances made up of ions with a melting point lower than 100 °C. Paul Walden discovered the first IL (ethyl ammonium nitrate) in 1914; at the time, he was unaware that ILs would be a scientific field nearly a century later.
Now we will learn about its industrial applications.
Industrial Applications
The use of ionic liquids in industrial applications has skyrocketed since commercializing the first known IL-based technology in 1996 for various applications.
- Commercial Scale Process
ILs are suitable for electrochemical applications, such as Scionix’s chromium electroplating process, which improves current efficiencies and crack-free coatings.
- Electrochemical Applications
IL technology was first applied when 3,4-epoxy but-1-ene was isomerized to 2,5-dihydrofuran in 1996, and BASILTM was the first IL-based commercial procedure.
Due to their increased safety, safety, and high-voltage stability, ILs have also found applications in batteries, such as an electrolyte in Li-ion batteries and dye-sensitised solar cells. As early as 2008, G24 Innovations Ltd. and BASF were the first recognized businesses to commercialise this technology.
Additionally, ILs have been commercialised in electrochemical gas sensors (Novasina, IoLiTec) and supercapacitors (Panasonic).
- Alkylation
In more than 300 plants worldwide, the smaller hydrocarbons produced during the catalytic cracking of crude oil—such as C3-C5 olefins—are alkylated to produce petrol. Commonly, corrosive acid is used to catalyse this action, but recent research has shown that ILs are an excellent and safer substitute.
Chevron started looking at ILs as alkylation catalysts as early as 1999, and from 2010 to 2015, they operated a demonstration facility using their Isoalkytm technology to optimise reaction conditions.
Chevron started retrofitting the IL technology to a refinery in 2018 that produces 190 tonnes of alkylate annually. The plant is scheduled to start up in 2020.
The China University of Petroleum-Beijing has also commercialised an IL-based Ionikylation, alkylation process, comprising a trialkyl ammonium hydrochloride, CuCl, and AlCl3, licensed through Well Resources. This has been required to produce large quantities of a higher-octane, low-cost alkylate.
- Capture
To lessen the possibility of dangerous gases being held under high pressure, Air Products created a novel technique for storing and transferring them. Researchers from QUILL and PETRONAS worked together to create a brand-new design for removing mercury from natural gas streams.
Based on a chlorocuprate (II) IL impregnated on a high surface area substrate, the HycaPureTM Hg process combines the benefits of homogeneous and heterogeneous systems.
Utilising oxidative dissolution, copper oxidises the mercury to create an anionic mercury complex, which is then eliminated from the stream.
Final Thoughts
Thus after going through the article, we have learned that Ionic liquids (ILs) have been researched for a wide range of applications, including solvent chemistry, electrochemistry, and catalysis ever since they were first developed. This is because they are referred to as designer solvents, which allow an IL’s physicochemical characteristics to be tailored for particular uses.Now that you know about the applications of ionic liquids, it is also imperative to look for these liquids in top-quality at Lotilabs. Make sure to plan the purchase from top manufacturers and suppliers who can aid in the clinical research process.