Thermal degradation of cyano containing ionic liquids

The long term thermal stability of ionic liquids containing dicyanamide or tricyanomethide anions is significantly lower than might be expected from temperature ramped TGA studies, and these anions, combined with N-based cations, yield polymeric products during thermal decomposition. Operational upper temperature limits for extended heating have been determined from isothermal decomposition measurements and extraction of t(0.99) values, and a simple relationship between onset of decomposition (determined by non-zero 1st derivative) and T-0.01/10 ( the temperature at which 1% decomposition occurs in 10 h) is derived.