Single component, reversible ionic liquids for energy applications

Single component, reversible ionic liquids have excellent potential as novel solvents for a variety of energy applications. Our energy industry is faced with many new challenges including increased energy consumption, depleting oil reserves, and increased environmental awareness. We report the use of reversible ionic liquids to solve two energy challenges: extraction of hydrocarbons from contaminated crude oil and carbon capture from power plant flue gas streams. Our reversible solvents are derived from silylated amine molecular liquids which react with carbon dioxide reversibly to form ionic liquids. Here we compare the properties of various silylated amine precursors and their corresponding ionic liquids. We show how the property changes are advantageous in the two aforementioned energy applications. In the case of hydrocarbon purification, we take advantage of the polarity switch between precursor and ionic liquid to enable separations. In carbon capture, our solvents act as dual physical and chemical capture agents for carbon dioxide. Finally, we show the potential economics of scale-up for both processes. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.