Ionic liquids (ILs) are salts that exist in a liquid state at or near room temperature, typically defined as having
a melting point below 100
°C.1 Unlike traditional liquids like water or gasoline which are made of neutral molecules, ionic liquids are composed entirely of cations
and anions.2 Their low melting points are due to the large, often bulky and irregularly shaped organic cations and organic or inorganic
anions, which prevent them from packing efficiently into a solid crystal lattice.3 This unique composition gives them a host of advantageous
properties, earning them the nickname "designer solvents."4
Key Properties
• Negligible Vapor Pressure: They don't evaporate easily, making them non-volatile and non-flammable.5 This is a significant safety
and environmental advantage over many organic solvents.6
• High Thermal and Chemical Stability: Many ILs remain stable over a wide range of temperatures.7
• High Ionic Conductivity: Composed of free-moving ions, they are excellent conductors of electricity.8
• Tunable Properties: By changing the combination of cation and anion, their physical and chemical properties (like viscosity,
polarity, and solubility) can be precisely tailored for a specific application.9
• Excellent Solvency: They can dissolve a wide range of substances, including polymers, gases, and even inorganic salts.10
Applications
The unique properties of ionic liquids have led to their exploration and use in various fields.11
1. Green Chemistry and Solvents 🌱
ILs are often considered "green solvents" because their low volatility reduces atmospheric pollution.12 They can be used as a safer
alternative to hazardous organic solvents in many chemical reactions.13 Their tunability allows for improved reaction yields and selectivity,
and their non-volatility simplifies the separation and recycling of products and catalysts.
• Catalysis: ILs can be used as a reaction medium or as a catalyst themselves.14 They can dissolve catalysts, creating a separate liquid
phase that can be easily recovered and reused.
• Biomass Processing: ILs are highly effective at dissolving recalcitrant biomass materials like cellulose, making them useful for
producing biofuels and other bio-based products from sustainable sources.15
• CO₂ Capture: Certain ILs show high solubility for carbon dioxide, making them a promising technology for capturing CO₂ from
industrial flue gases.16
2. Electrochemistry 🔋
Because of their high ionic conductivity and wide electrochemical window (the voltage range over which they remain stable), ILs are
excellent electrolytes.17
• Batteries: They're being developed as electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries and other energy storage devices to improve safety by
replacing flammable organic electrolytes.18
• Solar Cells: ILs are used as electrolytes in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) to improve efficiency and stability.19
• Electroplating: They offer a safer, more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional methods that use highly toxic and volatile
solvents.
3. Other Diverse Applications
• Drug Delivery: ILs can be used to improve the solubility and bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs.20 They can be designed as
"drug-in-salt" systems where the active pharmaceutical ingredient itself is one of the ions.21
• Lubricants: Their high thermal stability and low volatility make them suitable for use as high-performance lubricants, especially in
demanding environments like vacuum or high temperatures.
• Separation and Extraction: ILs are used in liquid-liquid extraction processes to separate complex mixtures, such as separating rare
earth elements or purifying active compounds from plant extracts.22
Here is a 25-question multiple-choice quiz on Ionic Liquids and their applications.
1. Question: What is the defining characteristic of an ionic liquid?
A. It is a molten metal with a low melting point.
B. It is a salt that is liquid at or near room temperature.
C. It is a covalent compound that is liquid below 100∘C.
D. It is an aqueous solution of a salt.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Ionic liquids are salts, but unlike common inorganic salts with high melting points, they are defined by their low melting point, typically below
100∘C, and often at room temperature.
2. Question: The low melting point of ionic liquids, compared to common salts like NaCl, is primarily due to:
A. The small size and high symmetry of their ions.
B. The strong ionic bonds between their ions.
C. The large, asymmetric, and bulky nature of their ions.
D. The strong hydrogen bonds they form.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The large size and asymmetry of the ions in ionic liquids prevent efficient crystal packing and reduce the lattice energy, leading to a lower melting
point.
3. Question: Which of the following is a key property of most ionic liquids that makes them attractive as 'green' solvents?
A. High vapor pressure
B. High flammability
C. Negligible vapor pressure
D. Low thermal stability
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The negligible vapor pressure of ionic liquids means they do not evaporate easily, reducing the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into
the atmosphere.
4. Question: In the context of ionic liquids, the term "designer solvent" refers to:
A. Their low cost and wide availability.
B. The ability to tune their properties by selecting specific cations and anions.
C. Their use in the fashion and textile industries.
D. Their aprotic and non-polar nature.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The ability to combine a vast number of organic cations and inorganic/organic anions allows for the creation of ionic liquids with tailored properties,
earning them the nickname 'designer solvents'.
5. Question: Which of the following is a common application of ionic liquids in electrochemistry?
A. As a medium for gas-phase reactions.
B. As an electrode material in batteries.
C. As an electrolyte in batteries and supercapacitors.
D. As a solid-state lubricant.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Ionic liquids are used as electrolytes due to their high ionic conductivity, wide electrochemical window, and thermal stability.
6. Question: The most widely studied class of cations for ionic liquids is based on:
A. Ammonium salts
B. Imidazolium salts
C. Pyridinium salts
D. Pyrrolidinium salts
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Imidazolium-based ionic liquids are the most common and well-researched class of ILs due to their ease of synthesis and tunable properties.
7. Question: Ionic liquids are particularly effective at dissolving which type of biomaterial, which is difficult to dissolve in traditional solvents?
A. Cellulose
B. Lipids
C. Starch
D. Simple sugars
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Ionic liquids are highly effective at dissolving recalcitrant biopolymers like cellulose, making them useful for biofuel production and biomass
processing.
8. Question: In the context of organic synthesis, ionic liquids can be used as a replacement for which of the following?
A. Catalysts
B. Reagents
C. Solvents
D. All of the above
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Ionic liquids are versatile and can serve as solvents, catalysts, or even reagents in organic synthesis, often improving reaction efficiency and product
separation.
9. Question: The high thermal stability of many ionic liquids means that they:
A. Decompose at low temperatures.
B. Are non-flammable and stable at high temperatures.
C. Are highly reactive with a wide range of compounds.
D. Have very low boiling points.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: High thermal stability is a key property that makes ionic liquids suitable for high-temperature chemical processes and as non-flammable lubricants or
electrolytes.
10. Question: Which property of ionic liquids allows for easy separation of a reaction product from the solvent?
A. High viscosity
B. Negligible vapor pressure
C. High density
D. Low solubility in all organic solvents
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Because ionic liquids have negligible vapor pressure, a reaction product can often be removed by simple distillation, leaving the IL to be recycled.
11. Question: Which of the following is a key application of ionic liquids in gas capture?
A. Absorbing methane (CH4)
B. Absorbing nitrogen (N2)
C. Absorbing carbon dioxide (CO2)
D. Absorbing noble gases
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Ionic liquids have shown high solubility for CO2 and are being investigated as efficient and recyclable solvents for carbon capture technologies.
12. Question: Compared to a conventional molecular solvent, the structure of an ionic liquid is composed of:
A. Neutral molecules and a small number of ions.
B. Ions and neutral molecules in equal amounts.
C. A mixture of neutral atoms.
D. Cations and anions only.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Unlike molecular solvents (e.g., water, ethanol), which are made of neutral molecules, ionic liquids are composed entirely of ions.
13. Question: The term "TASK-SPECIFIC ionic liquid" (TSIL) refers to an ionic liquid that has been designed with:
A. A specific cation to control its density.
B. A functional group to perform a specific chemical function.
C. An anion that makes it biodegradable.
D. A low melting point for all applications.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: TSILs are designed with a specific functional group (e.g., an acid or a base) to facilitate a particular chemical reaction or process.
14. Question: What is a common example of an inorganic anion used in ionic liquids?
A. Bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([Tf2N]−)
B. Tetrafluoroborate ([BF4]−)
C. Acetate ([OAc]−)
D. Dicyanamide ([N(CN)2]−)
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: [BF4]− and [PF6]− are two of the most common inorganic anions used to form ionic liquids.
15. Question: What is a disadvantage of using some common imidazolium-based ionic liquids?
A. They have high melting points.
B. They are highly volatile.
C. They are generally non-flammable.
D. They can be unstable to hydrolysis in the presence of water.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Some ionic liquids, particularly those with a hexafluorophosphate anion, can hydrolyze in the presence of water, producing corrosive hydrofluoric
acid.
16. Question: The viscosity of an ionic liquid is typically:
**A. ** Lower than that of water.
B. Lower than that of most conventional organic solvents.
C. Higher than that of most conventional organic solvents.
D. The same as that of conventional organic solvents.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Ionic liquids are generally much more viscous than conventional solvents due to the strong electrostatic interactions between their ions.
17. Question: Which of the following fields has NOT seen a significant application for ionic liquids?
A. Lubrication
B. Catalysis
C. Solid-state physics (as a primary material)
D. Drug delivery
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: While ionic liquids can form glassy solids upon cooling, their primary application is in the liquid state, not as a core material for solid-state physics.
18. Question: The high ionic conductivity of ionic liquids makes them ideal for use in:
A. Insulators
B. Dielectric materials
C. Electrolytes
D. Semiconductors
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: High ionic conductivity is a measure of a material's ability to transport ions, which is a critical property for electrolytes in electrochemical devices.
19. Question: The first reported ionic liquid, synthesized by Paul Walden in 1914, was:
A. 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride
B. Ethylammonium nitrate
C. 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate
D. Sodium chloride
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Ethylammonium nitrate was the first ionic liquid discovered, predating the more modern imidazolium-based ILs.
20. Question: What is a major environmental benefit of using ionic liquids?
A. They are easily biodegradable and non-toxic.
B. They are typically non-volatile and recyclable.
C. They are inexpensive to produce in large quantities.
D. They require less energy to synthesize than other solvents.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Their low vapor pressure and the potential for recycling and reuse reduce their environmental footprint compared to volatile organic solvents.
21. Question: Which of the following statements about the solubility of ionic liquids is TRUE?
A. All ionic liquids are soluble in water.
B. All ionic liquids are immiscible with organic solvents.
C. Their solubility can be tuned by changing the cation and anion.
D. They are exclusively soluble in non-polar solvents.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The solubility of ionic liquids can be precisely controlled by choosing specific cations and anions, making them versatile for biphasic systems.
22. Question: In materials science, ionic liquids are used as a medium for synthesizing:
A. Polymers with a random coil structure.
B. Nanomaterials.
C. Crystalline metals.
D. Ceramics.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Ionic liquids can act as templates or stabilizers for the synthesis of various nanomaterials, including nanoparticles and nanotubes.
23. Question: The term 'molten salt' is sometimes used interchangeably with 'ionic liquid'. What is the key difference?
A. Ionic liquids are always inorganic.
B. Ionic liquids must be liquid below 100∘C, while molten salts can be liquid at much higher temperatures.
C. Molten salts are always organic.
D. Ionic liquids are always more viscous than molten salts.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: While both are composed entirely of ions in the liquid state, the term 'ionic liquid' is reserved for those with a melting point below a certain
threshold, typically 100∘C.
24. Question: What is a major challenge in the widespread industrial adoption of ionic liquids?
A. Their low thermal stability.
B. Their high cost.
C. Their high vapor pressure.
D. Their flammability.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Despite their many benefits, the relatively high cost of producing most ionic liquids on a large scale remains a barrier to their widespread industrial
use.
25. Question: Which of the following is a potential application of ionic liquids in the field of medicine?
A. As a coating for medical instruments.
B. As a lubricant for surgical tools.
C. As an excipient in drug delivery.
D. All of the above.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Ionic liquids can be used as solvents for poorly soluble drugs, and in some cases, a drug can be incorporated into the ionic liquid's structure to
improve its bioavailability.
