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Ionic liquids properties and applications
Research Guide
What is Ionic liquids properties and applications?
Ionic liquids properties and applications refer to the study of salts that are liquid at low temperatures (<100 °C) and their use as solvents in synthesis, catalysis, green chemistry, biocatalysis, CO2 capture, nanoscale materials, and electrochemistry due to their unique nonmolecular ionic character and environmental benefits.
The field encompasses 64,654 works on ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents with applications in catalysis and sustainable technology. "Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids. Solvents for Synthesis and Catalysis" by Tom Welton (1999) established their role as solvents, garnering 11,683 citations. "Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids: Solvents for Synthesis and Catalysis. 2" by Jason P. Hallett and Tom Welton (2011) expanded on these uses with 12,509 citations.
Topic Hierarchy
Research Sub-Topics
Ionic Liquids in Catalysis
Research examines ionic liquids as solvents and ligands for transition metal catalysis, enhancing reaction rates and selectivity. Studies explore biphasic systems and supported ionic liquid catalysis for sustainable processes.
Deep Eutectic Solvents
Deep eutectic solvents (DES) are investigated as low-cost, biodegradable alternatives to ionic liquids for extractions and reactions. Researchers characterize their physicochemical properties and applications in biomass processing.
Ionic Liquids for CO2 Capture
This area develops task-specific ionic liquids with high CO2 solubility and selectivity for post-combustion capture. Researchers optimize structures for energy-efficient absorption-desorption cycles.
Physicochemical Properties of Ionic Liquids
Studies measure viscosity, conductivity, thermal stability, and phase behavior of ionic liquids using experimental and computational methods. Researchers model structure-property relationships for rational design.
Ionic Liquids in Electrochemistry
Ionic liquids serve as electrolytes in batteries, supercapacitors, and electrochemical sensors due to wide electrochemical windows. Research focuses on conductivity enhancement and electrode interfaces.
Why It Matters
Ionic liquids enable greener chemical processes by serving as recyclable solvents in transition metal catalysis, as shown in "Ionic Liquids—New “Solutions” for Transition Metal Catalysis" by Peter Wasserscheid and Wilhelm Keim (2000), which received 5,680 citations. In industry, they support applications like CO2 capture and cellulose dissolution, demonstrated by Richard P. Swatloski et al. (2002) in "Dissolution of Cellose with Ionic Liquids," where 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride dissolves cellulose without pretreatment for potential biomass processing (4,631 citations). Deep eutectic solvents, such as choline chloride/urea mixtures from Andrew P. Abbott et al. (2002), offer low-cost alternatives for electrochemical and synthetic processes (5,209 citations). Natalia V. Plechkova and Kenneth R. Seddon (2007) documented industrial uses in "Applications of ionic liquids in the chemical industry," citing 5,504 citations and parallel academic-industrial collaborations.
Reading Guide
Where to Start
"Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids. Solvents for Synthesis and Catalysis" by Tom Welton (1999), as it provides the foundational review of ionic liquids as solvents with 11,683 citations, introducing core concepts before advanced applications.
Key Papers Explained
Tom Welton (1999) in "Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids. Solvents for Synthesis and Catalysis" established basic solvent properties (11,683 citations), which Jason P. Hallett and Tom Welton (2011) built upon in "Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids: Solvents for Synthesis and Catalysis. 2" by detailing synthesis advances (12,509 citations). Peter Wasserscheid and Wilhelm Keim (2000) applied these to catalysis in "Ionic Liquids—New “Solutions” for Transition Metal Catalysis" (5,680 citations), while Andrew P. Abbott et al. (2002) introduced related deep eutectic solvents in "Novel solvent properties of choline chloride/urea mixtures" (5,209 citations). Emma L. Smith, Andrew P. Abbott, and Karl S. Ryder (2014) connected DES applications in "Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs) and Their Applications" (6,607 citations).
Paper Timeline
Most-cited paper highlighted in red. Papers ordered chronologically.
Advanced Directions
Research continues on ionic liquids in CO2 reduction, as in Stephanie Nitopi et al. (2019) "Progress and Perspectives of Electrochemical CO2 Reduction on Copper in Aqueous Electrolyte" (4,525 citations), and industrial scaling per Natalia V. Plechkova and Kenneth R. Seddon (2007). No recent preprints or news available.
Papers at a Glance
| # | Paper | Year | Venue | Citations | Open Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids: Solvents for Synthesis and Cat... | 2011 | Chemical Reviews | 12.5K | ✕ |
| 2 | Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids. Solvents for Synthesis and Cat... | 1999 | Chemical Reviews | 11.7K | ✓ |
| 3 | Theory of simple liquids | 1976 | — | 7.7K | ✕ |
| 4 | Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs) and Their Applications | 2014 | Chemical Reviews | 6.6K | ✓ |
| 5 | Ionic Liquids—New “Solutions” for Transition Metal Catalysis | 2000 | Angewandte Chemie Inte... | 5.7K | ✕ |
| 6 | Applications of ionic liquids in the chemical industry | 2007 | Chemical Society Reviews | 5.5K | ✕ |
| 7 | Novel solvent properties of choline chloride/urea mixturesElec... | 2002 | Chemical Communications | 5.2K | ✓ |
| 8 | Dissolution of Cellose with Ionic Liquids | 2002 | Journal of the America... | 4.6K | ✕ |
| 9 | Deep eutectic solvents: syntheses, properties and applications | 2012 | Chemical Society Reviews | 4.6K | ✕ |
| 10 | Progress and Perspectives of Electrochemical CO<sub>2</sub> Re... | 2019 | Chemical Reviews | 4.5K | ✓ |
Frequently Asked Questions
What are room-temperature ionic liquids?
Room-temperature ionic liquids are salts liquid below 100 °C with nonmolecular ionic character, used as solvents for synthesis and catalysis. Tom Welton (1999) in "Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids. Solvents for Synthesis and Catalysis" detailed their properties and applications. Jason P. Hallett and Tom Welton (2011) updated these findings in "Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids: Solvents for Synthesis and Catalysis. 2".
How do deep eutectic solvents form?
Deep eutectic solvents form from eutectic mixtures of quaternary ammonium salts like choline chloride with urea, creating liquids at ambient temperatures with novel solvent properties. Andrew P. Abbott et al. (2002) reported this in "Novel solvent properties of choline chloride/urea mixtures." Emma L. Smith, Andrew P. Abbott, and Karl S. Ryder (2014) reviewed their broader applications in "Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs) and Their Applications."
What are applications of ionic liquids in catalysis?
Ionic liquids act as solvents for transition metal catalysis, offering tunability and recyclability. Peter Wasserscheid and Wilhelm Keim (2000) explored this in "Ionic Liquids—New “Solutions” for Transition Metal Catalysis." Tom Welton (1999) and Hallett and Welton (2011) confirmed their utility in synthesis and catalysis.
How do ionic liquids dissolve cellulose?
Ionic liquids like 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride dissolve cellulose without activation or pretreatment, enabling regeneration for biomass processing. Richard P. Swatloski et al. (2002) demonstrated this in "Dissolution of Cellose with Ionic Liquids." This supports environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional solvents.
What industrial applications do ionic liquids have?
Ionic liquids find use in chemical industry processes including extraction and reactions, through academic-industrial collaborations. Natalia V. Plechkova and Kenneth R. Seddon (2007) detailed this in "Applications of ionic liquids in the chemical industry." Qinghua Zhang et al. (2012) extended discussions to deep eutectic solvents in "Deep eutectic solvents: syntheses, properties and applications."
What properties make ionic liquids suitable for green chemistry?
Ionic liquids provide non-volatility, thermal stability, and recyclability, aligning with green chemistry principles. Their use in CO2 capture and biocatalysis stems from these traits, as noted in field descriptions. Reviews like those by Welton (1999) and Plechkova and Seddon (2007) highlight these benefits.
Open Research Questions
- ? How can ionic liquid structures be optimized for higher selectivity in transition metal catalysis?
- ? What mechanisms govern cellulose dissolution in specific imidazolium-based ionic liquids?
- ? How do deep eutectic solvents compare to ionic liquids in CO2 capture efficiency?
- ? What factors control product selectivity in electrochemical CO2 reduction using copper in ionic liquid electrolytes?
- ? How can toxicity and biodegradability of ionic liquids be improved for industrial scaling?
Recent Trends
The field holds 64,654 works with sustained influence from high-citation reviews like Hallett and Welton (2011, 12,509 citations) and Welton (1999, 11,683 citations).
Growth data over 5 years unavailable, but applications persist in catalysis and green chemistry without new preprints or news in the last 12 months.
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