A critical assessment of the mechanisms governing the formation of aqueous biphasic systems composed of protic ionic liquids and polyethylene glycol.

An extensive study on the formation of aqueous biphasic systems (ABS) using aqueous solutions of protic ionic liquids (PILs) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) was performed in order to understand the mechanisms underlying the phase separation. Aqueous solutions of PEG polymers with different molecular weights (600, 1000, 2000, and 3400 g mol-1) and several N-alkyl-, dialkyl-, and trialkyl-ammonium salts of acetate, propanoate, butanoate, hexanoate and octanoate were prepared and their ability to form ABS at several temperatures assessed. The ternary liquid-liquid phase diagrams were determined at several temperatures, as well as binary PIL (or salt)-PEG-1000 and salt-water solubility data to better clarify the mechanisms responsible for the phase separation. All data gathered indicate that the formation of PEG-PIL-based ABS is mainly governed by the PIL-PEG mutual interactions, where PILs with a higher solubility in the polymer exhibit a lower aptitude to form ABS displaying thus a smaller biphasic region, for which a direct correlation was identified. The effects of the molecular weight and temperature of the polymer were also addressed. The increase of the PEG hydrophobicity or molecular weight favours the phase separation, whereas the effect of temperature was found to be more complex and dependent on the nature of the PIL, with an increase or decrease of the biphasic regime with an increase in temperature.

Mechanism of bismuth telluride exfoliation in an ionic liquid solvent.

Bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) is a well-known thermoelectric material that has a layered crystal structure. Exfoliating Bi2Te3 to produce two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets is extremely important because the exfoliated nanosheets possess unique properties, which can potentially revolutionize several material technologies such as thermoelectrics, heterogeneous catalysts, and infrared detectors. In this work, ionic liquid (IL) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([C4mim]Cl) is used to exfoliate Bi2Te3 nanoplatelets. In both experiments and in molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, the Bi2Te3 nanoplatelets yield a stable dispersion of 2D nanosheets in the IL solvent, and our MD simulations provide molecular-level insight into the kinetics and thermodynamics of the exfoliation process. An analysis of the dynamics of Bi2Te3 during exfoliation indicates that the relative translation (sliding apart) of adjacent layers caused by IL-induced forces plays an important role in the process. Moreover, an evaluation of the MD trajectories and electrostatic interactions indicates that the [C4mim](+) cation is primarily responsible for initiating Bi2Te3 layer sliding and separation, while the Cl(-) anion is less active. Overall, our combined experimental and computational investigation highlights the effectiveness of IL-assisted exfoliation, and the underlying molecular-level insights should accelerate the development of future exfoliation techniques for producing 2D chalcogenide materials.

Nonaborane and decaborane cluster anions can enhance the ignition delay in hypergolic ionic liquids and induce hypergolicity in molecular solvents.

The dissolution of nido-decaborane, B10H14, in ionic liquids that are hypergolic (fuels that spontaneously ignite upon contact with an appropriate oxidizer), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide, 1-methyl-4-amino-1,2,4-triazolium dicyanamide, and 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide, led to the in situ generation of a nonaborane cluster anion, [B9H14](-), and reductions in ignition delays for the ionic liquids suggesting salts of borane anions could enhance hypergolic properties of ionic liquids. To explore these results, four salts based on [B10H13](-) and [B9H14](-), triethylammonium nido-decaborane, tetraethylammonium nido-decaborane, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium arachno-nonaborane, and N-butyl-N-methyl-pyrrolidinium arachano-nonaborane were synthesized from nido-decaborane by reaction of triethylamine or tetraethylammonium hydroxide with nido-decaborane in the case of salts containing the decaborane anion or via metathesis reactions between sodium nonaborane (Na[B9H14]) and the corresponding organic chloride in the case of the salts containing the nonaborane anion. These borane cluster anion salts form stable solutions in some combustible polar aprotic solvents such as tetrahydrofuran and ethyl acetate and trigger hypergolic reactivity of these solutions. Solutions of these salts in polar protic solvents are not hypergolic.

Tuning azolium azolate ionic liquids to promote surface interactions with titanium nanoparticles leading to increased passivation and colloidal stability.

The passivation and stability of suspensions of titanium nanoparticles in azolium azolate ionic liquids can be tuned by introducing metal specific binding sites in the azolate anion.

Graphene and graphene oxide can "lubricate" ionic liquids based on specific surface interactions leading to improved low-temperature hypergolic performance.

Space-qualified lubricants: Graphene and graphene oxide (r-GO) can strongly improve the low-temperature performance of hypergolic ionic liquids by reduction of viscosity. Key to success is to match the graphene type to the specific ionic-liquid functionality.

Structural and Theoretical Study of Salts of the [B9 H14 ]- Ion: Isolation of Multiple Isomers and Implications for Energy Storage.

Invited for this month's cover are the research groups of Prof. Robin Rogers, based at McGill University, and Prof. David Dixon, based at The University of Alabama. The cover picture shows two isomers of [B9 H14 ]- which coexist in a crystalline salt, the mirror symmetric form on the left and the unsymmetrical form on the right. Read the full text of the article at 10.1002/cplu.201600270.

Structural and Theoretical Study of Salts of the [B9 H14 ]- Ion: Isolation of Multiple Isomers and Implications for Energy Storage.

Boranes and boron hydrides are well known for their novel molecular structures and useful chemical reactivity, with [B9 H14 ]- notable in particular for its ease of isolation, unusual structure, and tautomerization. We report an experimental and theoretical investigation of the structure of [B9 H14 ]- and the energetics of some of its reactions. Salts of [B9 H14 ]- with 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium and N-butyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and demonstrate the stabilization of an isomer of [B9 H14 ]- not previously observed in the solid state. Heats of formation and acid dissociation constants of [B9 H14 ]- and closely related structures were calculated. The results suggest a mechanism for particularly energetic hypergolic ignition induced by protonation and suggest potential for reversible H2 storage. These results encourage further investigation of [B9 H14 ]- as an energy-storage medium in ionic systems.

Boron nanoparticles with high hydrogen loading: mechanism for B-H binding and potential for improved combustibility and specific impulse.

Ball milling of boron in an H2 atmosphere was found to result in hydrogen uptake of up to 5% by weight (36 mol %). The nature of the hydrogen binding to boron was probed by a combination of ab initio theory, IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and mass spectral measurements of gases evolved during sample heating. The dominant binding mode is found to be H atoms bound to B atoms in the surface layer of the particles, and the high hydrogen loading results from production of very high surface area, indicating that gaseous H2 is an effective agent promoting size reduction in milling. Hydrogen incorporated in the samples was found to be stable for at least a month under ambient conditions. Desorption is observed beginning at ∼60 °C and continuing as the temperature is increased, with broad desorption features peaking at ∼250 and ∼450 °C, and ending at ∼800 °C. Unprotected hydrogenated boron nanoparticles were found to be reactive with O2 producing a hydrated boron oxide surface layer that decomposed readily at 100 °C leading to desorption of H2O. Hydrogenated boron nanoparticles were found to promote a higher flame height in the hypergolic ignition of ionic liquids upon contact with nitric acid.

1-Ethyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate: from ionic liquid prototype to antitype.

This viewpoint will discuss the role of the publication of the title crystal structure in the exponential growth of research in the field of ionic liquids, including helping visualize these salts while at the same time allowing gross over simplification of the field which still hampers research progress and understanding today.

Hypergolic ionic liquids to mill, suspend, and ignite boron nanoparticles.

Boron nanoparticles prepared by milling in the presence of a hypergolic energetic ionic liquid (EIL) are suspendable in the EIL and the EIL retains hypergolicity leading to the ignition of the boron. This approach allows for incorporation of a variety of nanoscale additives to improve EIL properties, such as energetic density and heat of combustion, while providing stability and safe handling of the nanomaterials.