Ionic Liquids Technologies (Germany)

Abstract Effective strategy is strongly required for efficient CO2 hydrogenation to methanol on Cu-based catalyst, considering the great significance of recycling and upgrading this greenhouse gas. Here, we report an electroassisted catalytic process for CO2 hydrogenation to methanol on CuZnAl catalyst beyond conventional thermal process. The electric field drives the formation of Cu steps with stacking faults and disordered ZnO overlayers, generation of specific Cu-ZnO (Cu2O) interfaces through their strong interactions, preferential exposure of Cu2O (110) facet and controllable balance of Cu0/Cu+ species in catalyst. These unique characteristics consequentially trigger the excellent redox properties of Cu species, CO2/CO adsorption-desorption capacities, and thermal tolerance, facilitating the formation of crucial HCOO* and CH3O* intermediates and durable catalytic stability. Only provided 0.5 W electric power can supremely promote the CO2 conversion and methanol selectivity by around 22% and 28% compared with the conventional thermal catalytic process, rendering it a promising technology for CO2 transformation.

This work unravels a new charging mechanism of “co-ion adsorption” in the supercapacitor with ionophobic nanopores, which can synergistically promote the differential capacitance and charging dynamics of supercapacitors with ionic liquids.

Novel [Ru]@SILP hybrids were synthesized by directly reacting Ru3(CO)12 with specific imidazolium chloride decorated porous silica gel. Impressively, the optimized [Ru]@SILP exhibited enhanced catalytic performance in the alkoxycarbonylation of olefins with CO2.

Understanding and manipulating nano-confined ionic liquids (ILs) has tremendous implications in nanotechnology and chemical engineering. Here, a peculiar growth phenomenon of a nano-confined [Bmim][NTFI] ionic liquid is revealed by utilizing two-dimensional channels in mica. The intercalated ILs underwent liquid-solid transition and self-assembled into a self-similar two-dimensional crystal in an epitaxial relation with the confining material. The terraced IL crystals, ranging from monolayer to bilayer to several dozen layers, are characterized by unexpectedly large areas extending to μm-scale and enhanced thermal stability with a melting temperature 73 K higher than that of the corresponding bulk IL. The notable asymmetric feature of the layered crystals hints at anisotropic growth under confinement, which produces a well-defined hexagonal geometric shape. Finally, a molecular scale growth mechanism of ordered ILs is qualitatively interpreted by a birth-and-spread model. Our findings have enabled new research on nanoconfined ILs and opened up an avenue to tailoring the structure of ILs for their applications under confinement.

Keggin-type polyoxometalate derived ionic liquids (POM-ILs) have recently been presented as effective solvent systems for biomass delignification. To investigate the mechanism of lignin dissolution in POM-ILs, the system involving POM-IL ([C4C1Im]3[PW12O40]) and guaiacyl glycerol-β-guaiacyl ether (GGE), which contains a β-O-4 bond (the most dominant bond moiety in lignin), was studied using quantum mechanical calculations and molecular dynamics simulations. These studies show that more stable POM-IL structures are formed when [C4C1Im]+ is anchored in the connecting four terminal oxygen region of the [PW12O40]3- surface. The cations in POM-ILs appear to stabilize the geometry by offering strong and positively charged sites, and the POM anion is a good H-bond acceptor. Calculations of POM-IL interacting with GGE show the POM anion interacts strongly with GGE through many H-bonds and π-π interactions which are the main interactions between the POM-IL anion and GGE and are strong enough to force GGE into highly bent conformations. These simulations provide fundamental models of the dissolution mechanism of lignin by POM-IL, which is promoted by strong interactions of the POM-IL anion with lignin.

Phenolic ionic liquid structure can be designed readily to control the molecular weight of isosorbide-derived polycarbonates.

l-proline acts as an efficient catalyst for the condensation reaction to synthesize methacrolein under mild condition.

A heterogeneous polymeric ionic liquid exhibits nearly equivalent activity to its monomer for CO2 conversion into cyclic carbonates.

Proposed reaction mechanism for CO2 methanation on NiAl-MO/CeO2-x catalysts.

Ionic liquids (ILs), a class of compounds composed entirely of ions, are prominent candidates for battery electrolytes, as they allow for increased safety due to their negligible vapor pressure, non-flammability and high thermal and electrochemical stability. Another benefit of ILs is their tunable properties, including solvating power, polarity and surface tension. Those could be used to influence the SEI formation as well as modify the overpotential on the electrodes. This effect can be used in different metal-air batteries, where the use of IL-based electrolyte allows for high electrolyte stability combined with the use of a normal gas diffusion electrode. [1] Further advantages that ILs bring, especially in the context of lithium sulphur batteries are their ability to reduce the formation of soluble polysulfides and to reduce dendrite formation. [2] This feature can be also beneficial for other types of lithium metal batteries. The major problem of using ILs as electrolytes - their high viscosity - can be overcome by using mixtures of selected ILs in specific ratios, thus reducing viscosity and increasing performance of the electrolyte. [3] In connection with that, our latest developments on use of ILs as electrolytes for different types of batteries will be presented. We will focus on physicochemical properties of selected ILs, their mixtures and possible additives, designed for specific batteries applications. The compatibility of the particular ILs with battery materials will be also discussed.