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Solvent Properties of Ionic Liquids: Enabling the Assessment of Ionic Liquids for Clean, Environmentally Benign Technologies

EPA Grant Number: R831432
Title: Solvent Properties of Ionic Liquids: Enabling the Assessment of Ionic Liquids for Clean, Environmentally Benign Technologies
Investigators: Rogers, Robin D. , Holbrey, John D.
Institution: University of Alabama - Tuscaloosa
EPA Project Officer: Richards, April
Project Period: December 22, 2003 through December 21, 2006
Project Amount: $325,000
RFA: Technology for a Sustainable Environment (2003)
Research Category: Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development

Description:

To develop a fundamental, and comparative understanding of Ionic Liquids in order to overcome the major barriers to assessment and implementation of new, environmentally responsible technologies.

“Ionic Liquids” (ILs) are proving to be increasingly promising as viable media for “green” synthesis and separations operations and also for novel applications, where new options based upon different chemical and physical property sets of the IL materials are presented. Studies of organic reactions, such as the Diels-Alder, Suzuki, and Friedel-Crafts reactions, suggest that for many reactions IL solvents may give rise to superior results in terms of yield of reaction, product selectivity, and ease of isolation. Such findings are of potentially significant environmental and commercial importance. The range and variability in the properties between individual examples within the class of solvents that are known as ILs, are however, both challenges, and opportunities for developing new and improved processes.

Choosing the right IL for a given task should be based upon a number of factors: performance, availability, or cost, and correct selection can be vital to the overall success of any given process. Both fundamental and applied research into the properties of a broad range of ILs continue to be needed to better understand their potential in replacing traditional organic solvents and operating in the “green” paradigm. However, one of the significant current limitations in ILs research at present is that the fundamental understanding of the characteristics and solvent properties of IL systems is absent. Without this information it is not feasible to design a new process using ILs with the expectation of improving on existing technology.

Objective:

The overall goals of this research are to develop and elaborate the classification of ILs in order to compare and contrast different ILs, to benchmark performance, and to discover new applications and uses of ILs. In addition to the core scientific information to be developed, this program of research will provide an educational aspect that will provide information to train researchers about the scope, potential, and pitfalls of ILs, most importantly that ILs can be utilized as much more than just non-volatile solvents.

Experimental Approach: The scientific and intellectual aspect of this proposal is to collect and evaluate data on the solvent properties of ILs in order to characterize, and classify structure-property relationships. This goal includes the following elements:

Expected Results:

The codification of methodologies for screening and assessing the properties and characteristics of particular ILs within the generic class of new solvents, and in relation to conventional molecular solvents, will provide a set of tools to facilitate effective and informed decisions to be rapidly made about potential use of ILs within a particular chemical or industrial process under consideration. This will permit researchers, to undertake data- rather than perception-driven research using ILs, and will facilitate selection of solvents with suitable characteristics so that in research and development progress can be effectively made.

Publications and Presentations:

Publications have been submitted on this project: View all 108 publications for this project

Journal Articles:

Journal Articles have been submitted on this project: View all 18 journal articles for this project

Supplemental Keywords:

chemical transport, alternative media, chemicals, toxics, green chemistry, alternatives, sustainable development, clean technologies, environmentally conscious, scientific discipline, sustainable industry/business, environmental chemistry, environmental engineering, new/innovative technologies, sustainable environment, technology for sustainable environment, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), cleaner production, environmentally benign solvents, green chemistry, green process systems, industrial innovations, industrial process, industrial separators, innovative technology, linear solvent free energy relationships, physicochemical data, room temperature ionic liquids, solvents, source reduction

 , INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, Sustainable Industry/Business, Scientific Discipline, RFA, POLLUTION PREVENTION, Technology for Sustainable Environment, Sustainable Environment, waste reduction, Chemicals Management, Environmental Engineering, cleaner production/pollution prevention, Environmental Chemistry, clean technology, cleaner production, toxicity, green chemistry, solvents, pollution prevention for industrial residuals, solvent substitutes, benchmark performance, green process systems, environmentally benign solvents, industrial innovations, industrial process, source reduction, innovative technology, ionic liquids, linear solvent free energy relationships

Progress and Final Reports:
2004 Progress Report
2005 Progress Report
Final Report

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The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.

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