Selective alkaline stripping of metal ions after solvent extraction by base-stable 1,2,3-triazolium ionic liquids.

Novel 1,2,3-triazolium ionic liquids with a high base stability were synthesized for use in solvent extraction of first-row transition elements and rare earths from chloride media. The synthesis of these ionic liquids makes use of a recently reported, metal-free multicomponent reaction that allows full substitution of the 1,2,3-triazolium skeleton. The physical and chemical properties of these ionic liquids are compared with those of a trisubstituted analog.

Metal extraction with a short-chain imidazolium nitrate ionic liquid.

A short-chain symmetrical dihexyl imidazolium nitrate ionic liquid for conventional solvent extraction of metals was developed. Rare earths were found to be preferentially extracted over 1st row transition metals leading to the application of the ionic liquid system for separation of the Sm(iii)/Co(ii) and La(iii)/Ni(ii) pairs, which are relevant for the recycling of SmCo magnets and NiMH batteries.

Docusate Ionic Liquids: Effect of Cation on Water Solubility and Solvent Extraction Behavior.

Ionic liquids with the docusate (dioctyl sulfosuccinate or DOSS) anion are described. Docusate is incorporated into several phosphonium ionic liquids, including tetrabutylphosphonium and phosphonium cations functionalized with an ester, carboxylic acid, or ethylene glycol group. All synthesized ionic liquids are immiscible with water except the compound with the ethylene glycol moiety in the cation, [P E ][DOSS].

Homogeneous liquid-liquid extraction of metal ions with non-fluorinated bis(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate ionic liquids having a lower critical solution temperature in combination with water.

Ionic liquids with an ether-functionalised cation and the bis(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate anion show thermomorphic behaviour in water, with a lower critical solution temperature. These ionic liquids are useful for homogeneous liquid-liquid extraction of first-row (3d) transition metals.

Overview of the effect of salts on biphasic ionic liquid/water solvent extraction systems: anion exchange, mutual solubility, and thermomorphic properties.

Hydrophobic (water-immiscible) ionic liquids (ILs) are frequently used as organic phase in solvent extraction studies. These biphasic IL/water extraction systems often also contain metal salts or mineral acids, which can significantly affect the IL trough (un)wanted anion exchange and changes in the solubility of IL in the aqueous phase. In the case of thermomorphic systems, variations in the cloud point temperature are also observed.

Cellulose amorphization by swelling in ionic liquid/water mixtures: a combined macroscopic and second-harmonic microscopy study.

Amorphization of cellulose by swelling in ionic liquid (IL)/water mixtures at room temperature is a suitable alternative to the dissolution-precipitation pretreatment known to facilitate enzymatic digestion. When soaking microcrystalline cellulose in the IL 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate containing 20 wt % water, the crystallinity of the cellulose sample is strongly reduced. As less than 4 % of the cellulose dissolves in this mixture, this swelling method makes a precipitation step and subsequent energy-intensive IL purification redundant.

Room-temperature silver-containing liquid metal salts with nitrate anions.

The synthesis, structural, thermal and electrochemical properties of fluorine-free silver-containing ionic liquids are presented. The ionic liquid cations are formed by a silver(i) ion surrounded by two 1-alkylimidazole ligands, with the counter anions being nitrate ions. Depending on the alkyl chain length, the complexes were found to be liquids at room temperature or melting slightly above this.