Ionic Liquids as Internal Phase for Non-Aqueous PolyHIPEs

Stable high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) with the ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethyl-sulfonyl)imide as dispersed phase were prepared and polymerised thermally into polyHIPEs. All polyHIPEs exhibited pore morphologies similar to that of polyHIPEs obtained with an aqueous dispersed phase. PolyHIPEs containing the dispersed phase possess a low Tg and are thermally stable in excess of 200 degrees C, offering the potential for new porous materials where water as dispersed phase is chemically or physically undesirable.