Issue 24, 2018

Understanding the fundamentals of acid-induced ionic liquid-based aqueous biphasic system

Abstract

Ionic-liquid-based aqueous biphasic systems (IL-based ABS) have demonstrated exceptional performance in bioseparation processes. However, IL-based ABS are of limited interest for metal extraction as most metals are not stable in their neutral or alkaline pH conditions. In the quest for better extraction systems for metals, the development of IL-based ABS with highly acidic solutions (AcABS), induced by the mixture of a hydrophilic IL ([P44414]Cl), a mineral acid (HCl, HNO3 or H2SO4) and water, opens new possibilities. A comprehensive investigation of fundamental aspects of IL-based AcABS was performed, including the temperature dependence of the phase diagrams, tie-lines and ion exchange behavior, evidencing the unique characteristics of these new systems. In particular, the favorable biphasic formation with an increase in temperature showcases the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) behavior of the phosphonium-based IL and opens many possibilities for AcABS application by creating stimuli responsive systems. The anion exchange identified highlights the IL-based AcABS complexity that renders the analytical characterization of the phases mandatory, instead of the traditional method coupling an empirical fit of the binodal with the lever-arm rule. Through judicious selection of the inorganic acid, different extraction systems can be obtained by tuning the degree of anion-exchange, underlining the versatility of the proposed AcABS system.

Graphical abstract: Understanding the fundamentals of acid-induced ionic liquid-based aqueous biphasic system

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
05 May 2018
Accepted
30 May 2018
First published
30 May 2018

Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2018,20, 16477-16484

Understanding the fundamentals of acid-induced ionic liquid-based aqueous biphasic system

V. Mogilireddy, M. Gras, N. Schaeffer, H. Passos, L. Svecova, N. Papaiconomou, J. A. P. Coutinho and I. Billard, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2018, 20, 16477 DOI: 10.1039/C8CP02862A

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements