An Efficient and Stable Ionic Liquid System for Synthesis of Ethylene Glycol via Hydrolysis of Ethylene Carbonate

An ionic liquid system of [Bmim]X/[Bmim]OH(X Cl,BF4,and PF6,) was developed for the hydroly-sis of ethylene carbonate to ethylene glycol. The important parameters,such as the variety of ionic liquids,molar ratio of [Bmim]X to [Bmim]OH,amount of ionic liquid,molar ratio of water to ethylene carbonate,reaction tem-perature,pressure and reaction time,were investigated systematically. Excellent yield(>93%) and high selectivity(99.5%) of ethylene glycol were achieved. Under the optimum reaction conditions,the ionic liquid system could be reused at least five times and the selectivity of ethylene glycol remained higher than 99.5%.

Molecular simulation study of the microstructures and properties of pyridinium ionic liquid[HPy][BF_(4)]mixed with acetonitrile

The microstructures and thermodynamic properties of mixed systems comprising pyridinium ionic liquid[HPy][BF_(4)]and acetonitrile at different mole fractions were studied using molecular dynamics simulation in this work.The following properties were determined:density,self-diffusion coefficient,excess molar volume,and radial distribution function.The results show that with an increase in the mole fraction of[HPy][BF_(4)],the self-diffusion coefficient decreases.Additionally,the excess molar volume initially decreases,reaches a minimum,and then increases.The rules of radial distribution functions(RDFs)of characteristic atoms are different.With increasing the mole fraction of[HPy][BF_(4)],the first peak of the RDFs of HA1-F decreases,while that of CT6-CT6 rises at first and then decreases.This indicates that the solvent molecules affect the polar and non-polar regions of[HPy][BF_(4)]differently.

Effects of ionic liquids on the vapor-liquid equilibrium of 1,3,5-trioxane-water system at 101.3 kPa

Increasing the 1,3,5-trioxane(TOX) concentration in the equilibrated vapor phase of TOX-H_(2)O system has been recognized as a challenge for the azeotrope. Ionic liquids(ILs) were used to improve the relative volatility of TOX to H_(2)O and destroy the azeotrope in the TOX-H2O system. The vapor-liquid equilibrium of TOX-H2O system at 101.3 kPa was studied with the addition of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate, 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium nitrate, respectively. The results showed that the volatility of TOX increased with the increase in IL dosage. And the volatility of water decreased with the increase in IL dosage. The relative volatility of TOX to H_(2)O was improved with the increase in ILs dosage. The azeotrope could be destroyed with an IL mole fraction of about 0.10. A non-random two-liquid(NRTL) model was successfully used to correlate the experimental data. The interaction parameters were obtained by fitting the experimental data with the model. The results indicated that a strong interaction existed between ILs and water. The strong interaction improved the volatility of TOX and inhibited the volatility of water, and then intensified the relative volatility of TOX to H_(2)O. The results showed that an ILs with strong polarity and hydrophilicity may be a potential additive to improve the TOX concentration in the equilibrated vapor phase.

Laser Flash Photolysis Mechanism of Anthraquinone-2-Sodium Sulfonate in Pyridine Ionic Liquid/Water Mixed System

The photochemical reaction process of anthraquinone-2-sodium sulfonate （AQS） in the mixture of water （H2O） and N-butylpyridinium tetrafluoroborate （[BPy] [BF4]） was studied using the laser flash photolysis technique. Experimental results show that the excited triplet of AQS （3AQS＊） could react rapidly with H2O and the transient absorption spectra greatly changed by increasing the volume fraction of the ionic liquid （VIL） in [BPy][BF4]/H2O mixtures. The absorbance at 510 nm increased gradually with increasing VIL when 0〈VIL〈0.1. By contrast, the absorbance decreased gradually when VIL〉0.1. Otherwise, the absorbance of the band near 380 nm steadily increased. The apparent kinetic parameters of transient species B and ^3AQS＊ are obtained approximately. 3AQS＊ abstracting hydrogen from [BPy]＋ was also explored. It was deduced that the 350-420 nm band was the superposition of the peaks of 3AQS＊ and AQSH＇. The two reactions of 3AQS＊ with [BPy][BF4] and H2O are a pair of competitive reactions. We also concluded that the entire reaction processes slow down in the case of high [BPy] [BF4] concentrations.

An ionic liquid-assisted strategy for enhanced anticorrosion of low-energy PEO coatings on magnesium–lithium alloy

A low-energy plasma electrolytic oxidation(LePEO)technique is developed to simultaneously improve energy efficiency and anti-corrosion.Ionic liquids(1-butyl-3-methylimidazole tetrafluoroborate(BmimBF_(4)))as sustainable corrosion inhibitors are chosen to investigate the corrosion inhibition behavior of ionic liquid(ILs)during the LePEO process for LA91 magnesium-lithium(Mg-Li)alloy.Results show that the ionic liquid BmimBF_(4)participates in the LePEO coating formation process,causing an increment in coating thickness and surface roughness.The low conductivity of the ionic liquid is responsible for the voltage and breakdown voltage increases during the LePEO with IL process(LePEO-IL).After adding BmimBF_(4),corrosion current density decreases from 1.159×10^(−4)A·cm^(−2)to 8.143×10^(−6)A·cm^(−2).The impedance modulus increases to 1.048×10^(4)Ω·cm^(−2)and neutral salt spray remains intact for 24 h.The superior corrosion resistance of the LePEO coating assisted by ionic liquid could be mainly attributed to its compact and thick barrier layer and physical absorption of ionic liquid.The ionic liquid-assisted LePEO technique provides a promising approach to reducing energy consumption and improving film performance.

Ionic Liquid-Enhanced Assembly of Nanomaterials for Highly Stable Flexible Transparent Electrodes

The controlled assembly of nanomaterials has demon-strated significant potential in advancing technological devices.However,achieving highly efficient and low-loss assembly technique for nanomate-rials,enabling the creation of hierarchical structures with distinctive func-tionalities,remains a formidable challenge.Here,we present a method for nanomaterial assembly enhanced by ionic liquids,which enables the fabrication of highly stable,flexible,and transparent electrodes featuring an organized layered structure.The utilization of hydrophobic and non-volatile ionic liquids facilitates the production of stable interfaces with water,effectively preventing the sedimentation of 1D/2D nanomaterials assembled at the interface.Furthermore,the interfacially assembled nanomaterial monolayer exhibits an alternate self-climbing behavior,enabling layer-by-layer transfer and the formation of a well-ordered MXene-wrapped silver nanowire network film.The resulting composite film not only demonstrates exceptional photoelectric performance with a sheet resistance of 9.4Ωsq^(-1) and 93%transmittance,but also showcases remarkable environmental stability and mechanical flexibility.Particularly noteworthy is its application in transparent electromagnetic interference shielding materials and triboelectric nanogenerator devices.This research introduces an innovative approach to manufacture and tailor functional devices based on ordered nanomaterials.

Phosphotungstic acid ionic liquid for efficient photocatalytic desulfurization:Synthesis,application and mechanism

An efficient mass transfer process is a critical factor for regulating catalytic activity in a photocatalytic desulfurization system.Herein,a phosphotungstic acid(HPW)active center is successfully composited with a quaternary ammonium phosphotungstate-based hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride ionic liquid(CTAC-HPW)by the ion exchange method for the photocatalytic oxidative desulfurization of dibenzothiophene sulfide.The keggin structure of HPW and highly mass transfer performance of organic cations synergistically enhanced the photocatalytic activity towards the effective convertion of dibenzothiophene(DBT)with the excitation of visible light.The deep desulfurization(<10 mg·kg^(-1))is attained within 30 min,and well stability is demonstrated within 25 cycles.Moreover,the CTAC-HPW photocatalyst projects well selectivity to interference from coexisting compounds such as olefins and aromatic hydrocarbons and universality of dibenzothiophenes,for example,4-methyldibenzothiophene(4-MDBT)and 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene(4,6-DMDBT).Ultimately,a possible photocatalytic desulfurization mechanism is proposed according to the Gaschromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS),proving that the final product is the corresponding sulfone.The trapping experiment and electron spin resonance(ESR)analysis confirmed that h^(+)and,COOH played critical roles in the oxidation process.The work offers a practicable strategy for efficiently converting DBT to DBTO_(2) with added value.

Ionic liquid derived electrocatalysts for electrochemical water splitting

Hydrogen production from electrochemical water splitting is a promising strategy to generate green energy,which requires the development of efficient and stable electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction and the oxygen evolution reaction(HER and OER).Ionic liquids(ILs)or poly(ionic liquids)(PILs),containing heteroatoms,metal-based anions,and various structures,have been frequently involved as precursors to prepare electrocatalysts for water splitting.Moreover,ILs/PILs possess high conductivity,wide electrochemical windows,and high thermal and chemical stability,which can be directly applied in the electrocatalysis process with high durability.In this review,we focus on the studies of ILs/PILs-derived electrocatalysts for HER and OER,where ILs/PILs are applied as heteroatom dopants and metal precursors to prepare catalysts or are directly utilized as the electrocatalysts.Due to those attractive properties,IL/PIL-derived electrocatalysts exhibit excellent performance for electrochemical water splitting.All these accomplishments and developments are systematically summarized and thoughtfully discussed.Then,the overall perspectives for the current challenges and future developments of ILs/PILs-derived electrocatalysts are provided.

Olefin oligomerization via new and efficient Bronsted acidic ionic liquid catalyst systems

Olefin oligomerization reaction catalyzed by new catalyst systems（a Br？nsted‐acidic ionic liquid as the main catalyst and tricaprylylmethylammonium chloride as the co‐catalyst） has been investigat‐ed. The synthesized Br？nsted acidic ionic liquids were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy（FT‐IR）, ultraviolet‐visible spectroscopy（UV）, ^1H nuclear magnetic resonance（NMR）, and ^13 C NMR to analyze their structures and acidities. The influence of different ionic liquids, ionic liquid loading, different co‐catalysts, catalyst ratios（mole ratio of ionic liquid to co‐catalyst）, reac‐tion time, pressure, temperature, solvent, source of reactants, and the recycling of catalyst systems was studied. Among the synthesized ionic liquids, 1‐（4‐sulfonic acid）butyl‐3‐hexylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate（[HIMBs]HSO4） exhibited the best catalytic activity under the tested reaction con‐ditions. The conversion of isobutene and selectivity of trimers were 83.21% and 35.80%, respec‐tively, at the optimum reaction conditions. Furthermore, the catalyst system can be easily separated and reused; a feasible reaction mechanism is proposed on the basis of the distribution of experi‐mental products.

Ionic Liquid-salt Aqueous Two-phase System, a Novel System for theExtraction of Abused Drugs

A 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride-salt aqueous two-phase system was studied on extraction of abused drugs. The effects of sorts of salts, temperature, concentration of salt and drugs on system were investigated systematically. A satisfactory extraction efficiency of 93% was obtained for papaverine while that of morphine was 65%. The extraction mechanism was primarily discussed.

Ternary System of Fe-based Ionic Liquid,Ethanol and Water for Wet Flue Gas Desulfurization

Fe-based ionic liquid （Fe-IL） was synthesized by mixing FeCl3·6H2O and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride [Bmim]C1 in this paper. The phase diagram of a ternary Fe-IL, ethanol and water system was investigated to construct a ternary desulfurization solution for wet flue gas desulfurization. The effects of flow rate and concentration of SO2, reaction temperature, pH and Fe-IL fraction in aqueous desulfurization solution on the desulfiariza- tion efficiency were investigated. The results shows that the best composition of ternary desulfurization solution of Fe-IL, ethanol and water is 1 ： 1.5 ： 3 by volume ratio, and pH should be controlled at 2.0. Under such conditions, a desulfurization rate greater than 90% could be obtained. The product of sulfuric acid had inhibition effect on the wet desulfurization process. With applying this new ternary desulfurization solution, not only the catalyst Fe-IL can be recycled and reused, but also the product sulfuric acid can be separated directly from the ternary desulfurization system.

Effects of imidazolium-based ionic liquids on the isobaric vapor–liquid equilibria of methanol+dimethyl carbonate azeotropic systems

The separation of methanol(MeOH)and dimethyl carbonate(DMC)is important but difficult due to the formation of an azeotropic mixture.In this work,isobaric vapor–liquid equilibrium(VLE)data for the ternary systems containing different imidazolium–based ionic liquids(ILs),i.e.MeOH+DMC+1-butyl-3-methy-limidazolium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide([Bmim][Tf2N]),MeOH+DMC+1-ethyl-3-methyl-imidazolium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide([Emim][Tf2N]),and MeOH+DMC+1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate([Emim][PF6])were measured at 101.3 kPa.The mole fraction of IL was varied from0.05 to 0.20.The experimental data were correlated with the NRTL and Wilson equations,respectively.The results show that imidazolium-based ILs were beneficial to improve the relative volatility of MeOH to DMC,and[Bmim][Tf2 N]showed a much more excellent performance on the activity coefficient of MeOH.The interaction energies of system components were calculated using Gaussian program,and the effects of cation and anion on the separation coefficient of the azeotropic system were discussed.

Enhancing CO_(2) transport with plasma-functionalized ionic liquid membranes

The ionic liquid(IL) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate treated with radiofrequency plasma is proposed for functionalization and immobilization on polyethersulfone supports to form supported ionic liquid membranes for CO_(2) separation.The effects of treatment time and transmembrane pressure difference on CO_(2) permeance were evaluated.The best gas permeation performance was obtained with a treatment time of 10 min and the transmembrane pressure difference was 0.25 MPa.Characterization of the materials by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy demonstrates that the IL is grafted with carboxyl groups and deprotonated through plasma treatment.A preliminary mechanism for the plasma treatment and facilitated transport of CO_(2)has been proposed on this basis.

Ionic liquid-assisted preparation of hydroxyapatite and its catalytic performance for decarboxylation of itaconic acid

The synthesis of methacrylic acid from biomass-derived itaconic acid is a green route,for it can get rid of the dependence on fossil resource.In order to solve the problems on this route such as use of a preciousmetal catalyst and a corrosive homogeneous alkali,we prepared a series of hydroxyapatite catalysts by an ionic liquid-assisted hydrothermal method and evaluated their catalytic performance.The results showed that the ionic liquid[Bmim]BF_(4) can affect the crystal growth of hydroxyapatite,provide fluoride ion for fluorination of hydroxyapatite,and adjust the surface acidity and basicity,morphology,textural properties,crystallinity,and composition of hydroxyapatite.The[Bmim]BF4 dosage and hydrothermal temperature can affect the fluoride ion concentration in the hydrothermal system,thus changing the degree of fluoridation of hydroxyapatite.High fluoride-ion concentration can lead to the formation of CaF_(2) and thus significantly decrease the catalytic performance of hydroxyapatite.The hydrothermal time mainly affects the growth of hydroxyapatite crystals on the c axis,leading to different catalytic performance.The suitable conditions for the preparation of this fluoridized hydroxyapatite are as follows:a mass ratio of[Bmim]BF4 to calcium salt=0.2:1,a hydrothermal time of 12 h,and a hydrothermal temperature of 130℃.A maximal methacrylic acid yield of 54.7%was obtained using the fluoridized hydroxyapatite under relatively mild reaction conditions(250℃ and 2 MPa of N_(2))in the absence of a precious-metal catalyst and a corrosive homogeneous alkali.

Molecular interaction mechanism in the separation of a binary azeotropic system by extractive distillation with ionic liquid

Ionic liquids(ILs)have shown excellent performance in the separation of binary azeotropes through extractive distillation[1].But the role of the ionic liquid in azeotropic system is not well understood.In this paper,COSMO-RS model was applied to screen an appropriate IL to separate the binary azeotrope of ethyl acetate(EA)and ethanol and 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate([OMIM][BF4])was selected.The Quantum Mechanics(QM)calculations and molecular dynamics(MD)simulation are performed to study the interactions between the solvent molecules and[OMIM][BF4],in order to investigate the separation mechanism at the molecular level.The nature of the interactions is studied through the reduced density gradient(RDG)function and quantum theory of Atom in Molecule(QTAIM).Hydrogen bonds and van der Waals interactions are the key interactions in the complexes.The results of MD simulations indicate that the introduction of ILs has a prominent effect on the interaction between the solvent molecules,especially on reducing the number of hydrogen bonds among the solvent molecules.The radial distribution function(RDF)reveals that the interaction between the cation and solvent molecules will increase while the concentration of ILs increases.This paper provides important information for understanding the role of ILs in the separation of the azeotropic system,which is valuable to the development of new entrainers.

Machine learning models for the density and heat capacity of ionic liquid-water binary mixtures

Ionic liquids(ILs),because of the advantages of low volatility,good thermal stability,high gas solubility and easy recovery,can be regarded as the green substitute for traditional solvent.However,the high viscosity and synthesis cost limits their application,the hybrid solvent which combining ILs together with others especially water can solve this problem.Compared with the pure IL systems,the study of the ILs-H_(2)O binary system is rare,and the experimental data of corresponding thermodynamic properties(such as density,heat capacity,etc.)are less.Moreover,it is also difficult to obtain all the data through experiments.Therefore,this work establishes a predicted model on ILs-water binary systems based on the group contribution(GC)method.Three different machine learning algorithms(ANN,XGBoost,LightBGM)are applied to fit the density and heat capacity of ILs-water binary systems.And then the three models are compared by two index of MAE and R^(2).The results show that the ANN-GC model has the best prediction effect on the density and heat capacity of ionic liquid-water mixed system.Furthermore,the Shapley additive explanations(SHAP)method is harnessed to scrutinize the significance of each structure and parameter within the ANN-GC model in relation to prediction outcomes.The results reveal that system components(XIL)within the ILs-H_(2)O binary system exert the most substantial influence on density,while for the heat capacity,the substituents on the cation exhibit the greatest impact.This study not only introduces a robust prediction model for the density and heat capacity properties of IL-H_(2)O binary mixtures but also provides insight into the influence of mixture features on its density and heat capacity.

Impact of ethanol on the flotation efficiency of imidazolium ionic liquids as collectors:Insights from dynamic surface tension and solvation analysis

To conduct extensive research on the application of ionic liquids as collectors in mineral flotation,ethanol(EtOH)was used as a solvent to dissolve hydrophobic ionic liquids(ILs)to simplify the reagent regime.Interesting phenomena were observed in which EtOH exerted different effects on the flotation efficiency of two ILs with similar structures.When EtOH was used to dissolve 1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride(C12[mim]Cl)and as a collector for pure quartz flotation tests at a concentration of 1×10^(−5)mol·L^(−1),quartz recovery increased from 23.77%to 77.91%compared with ILs dissolved in water.However,quartz recovery of 1-dodecyl-3-methylim-idazolium hexafluorophosphate(C12[mim]PF6)decreased from 60.45%to 24.52%under the same conditions.The conditional experi-ments under 1×10^(−5)mol·L^(−1)ILs for EtOH concentration and under 2vol%EtOH for ILs concentration confirmed this difference.After being affected by EtOH,the mixed ore flotation tests of quartz and hematite showed a decrease in the hematite concentrate grade and re-covery for the C12[mim]Cl collector,whereas the hematite concentrate grade and recovery for the C12[mim]PF6 collector increased.On the basis of these differences and observations of flotation foam,two-phase bubble observation tests were carried out.The EtOH promoted the foam height of two ILs during aeration.It accelerated static froth defoaming after aeration stopped,and the foam of C12[mim]PF6 de-foaming especially quickly.In the discussion of flotation tests and foam observation,an attempt was made to explain the reasons and mechanisms behind the diverse phenomena using the dynamic surface tension effect and solvation effect results from EtOH.The solva-tion effect was verified through Fourier transform infrared(FT-IR),X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS),and Zeta potential tests.Al-though EtOH affects the adsorption of ILs on the ore surface during flotation negatively,it holds an positive value of inhibiting foam mer-ging during flotation aeration and accelerating the defoaming of static foam.And induce more robust secondary enrichment in the mixed ore flotation of the C12[mim]PF6 collector,facilitating effective mixed ore separation even under inhibitor-free conditions.

Highly selective extraction of aromatics from aliphatics by using metal chloride-based ionic liquids

The separation of aromatics from aliphatics is essential for achieving maximum exploitation of oil resources in the petrochemical industry.In this study,a series of metal chloride-based ionic liquids were prepared and their performances in the separation of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene(tetralin)/dodecane and tetralin/decalin systems were studied.Among these ionic liquids,1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrachloroferrate([EMIM][FeCl_(4)])with the highest selectivity was used as the extractant.Density functional theory calculations showed that[EMIM][FeCl_(4)]interacted more strongly with tetralin than with dodecane and decalin.Energy decomposition analysis of[EMIM][FeCl_(4)]-tetralin indicated that electrostatics and dispersion played essential roles,and induction cannot be neglected.The van der Waals forces was a main effect in[EMIM][FeCl_(4)]-tetralin by independent gradient model analysis.The tetralin distribution coefficient and selectivity were 0.8 and 110,respectively,with 10%(mol)tetralin in the initial tetralin/dodecane system,and 0.67 and 19.5,respectively,with 10%(mol)tetralin in the initial tetralin/decalin system.The selectivity increased with decreasing alkyl chain length of the extractant.The influence of the extraction temperature,extractant dosage,and initial concentrations of the system components on the separation performance were studied.Recycling experiments showed that the regenerated[EMIM][FeCl_(4)]could be used repeatedly.

Direct observation of ordered-disordered structural transition of MoS_(2)-confined ionic liquids

Ionic liquids(ILs)are an emerging class of media of fundamental importance for chemical engineering,especially due to their interaction with solid surfaces.Here,we explore the growth phenomenon of surface-confined ILs and reveal a peculiar structural transition behavior from order to disorder above a threshold thickness.This behavior can be explained by the variation of interfacial forces with increasing distance from the solid surface.Direct structural observation of different ILs highlights the influence of the ionic structure on the growth process.Notably,the length of the alkyl chain in the cation is found to be a determining factor for the ordering trend.Also,the thermal stability of surface-confined ILs is investigated in depth by controlling annealing treatments.It is found that the ordered monolayer ILs exhibit high robustness against high temperatures.Our findings provide new perspectives on the properties of surface-confined ILs and open up potential avenues for manipulating the structures of nanometer-thick IL films for various applications.

Tuning the cross-linked structure of basic poly(ionic liquid)to develop an efficient catalyst for the conversion of vinyl carbonate to dimethyl carbonate

Dimethyl carbonate(DMC)is a crucial chemical raw material widely used in organic synthesis,lithiumion battery electrolytes,and various other fields.The current primary industrial process employs a conventional sodium methoxide basic catalyst to produce DMC through the transesterification reaction between vinyl carbonate and methanol.However,the utilization of this catalyst presents several challenges during the process,including equipment corrosion,the generation of solid waste,susceptibility to deactivation,and complexities in separation and recovery.To address these limitations,a series of alkaline poly(ionic liquid)s,i.e.[DVBPIL][PHO],[DVCPIL][PHO],and[TBVPIL][PHO],with different crosslinking degrees and structures,were synthesized through the construction of cross-linked polymeric monomers and functionalization.These poly(ionic liquid)s exhibit cross-linked structures and controllable cationic and anionic characteristics.Research was conducted to investigate the effect of the cross-linking degree and structure on the catalytic performance of transesterification in synthesizing DMC.It was discovered that the appropriate cross-linking degree and structure of the[DVCPIL][PHO]catalyst resulted in a DMC yield of up to 80.6%.Furthermore,this catalyst material exhibited good stability,maintaining its catalytic activity after repeated use five times without significant changes.The results of this study demonstrate the potential for using alkaline poly(ionic liquid)s as a highly efficient and sustainable alternative to traditional catalysts for the transesterification synthesis of DMC.