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Elliott GM, Boatz JA, Gordon MS. The Degradation of the 2-Hydroxyethylhydrazinium Nitrate Ionic Liquid System. J Phys Chem A 2024; 128:8845-8855. [PMID: 39363701 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.4c03190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2024]
Abstract
The mechanism by which the 2-hydroxyethylhydrazinium nitrate (HEHN) ionic liquid (IL) dissociates via the formation and loss of nitric acid is investigated utilizing the effective fragment potential (EFP) method and various ab initio methods. Additionally, the interactions that dictate the stability of the HEHN IL and contribute to the formation of nitric acid are further assessed using the quasi-atomic orbital (QUAO) bonding analysis. From this work, it is suggested that the formation of nitric acid is dictated by the presence of hydrogen-bonding interactions which appear to become increasingly ionic in nature as the system approaches the bulk, limiting the formation of nitric acid.
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Affiliation(s)
- George M Elliott
- Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University and Ames National Laboratory, Ames, Iowa 50014, United States
| | - Jerry A Boatz
- Aerospace Systems Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Edwards Air Force Base, California 93524, United States
| | - Mark S Gordon
- Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University and Ames National Laboratory, Ames, Iowa 50014, United States
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2
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Zhou W, Liu J, Chambreau SD, Vaghjiani GL. Dynamics and thermochemistry of the negatively charged clusters in a 2-hydroxyethylhydrazinium nitrate ionic liquid system. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:21697-21711. [PMID: 39092620 DOI: 10.1039/d4cp02329c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
The formation and fragmentation of negatively charged 2-hydroxyethylhydrazinium nitrate ([HOCH2CH2NH2NH2]+NO3-, HEHN) ionic liquid clusters were examined using a guided-ion beam tandem mass spectrometer furnished with collision-induced dissociation of selected ions with Xe atoms. Measurements included the compositions of cluster ions formed in the ionization source, and the dissociation products, cross sections, and 0 K threshold energies for individually selected cluster ions. To identify the structures of the main cluster ion series [(HEHN)n(HNO3)0-1NO3]- formed, molecular dynamics simulations were employed to create initial geometry guesses, followed by optimization at the ωB97XD/6-31+G(d,p) level of theory, from which global minimum structures were identified for reaction thermodynamics analyses. A comparison was made between the cluster formation and fragmentation in the negatively charged 2-hydroxyethylhydrazinium nitrate with those in the positive mode (reported by W. Zhou et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2023, 25, 17370). In both modes, the cluster ions were predominantly composed of m/z below 350; loss of a neutral 2-hydroxyethylhydrazinium nitrate ion pair represents the most important cluster fragmentation pathway, followed by intra-ion pair proton transfer-mediated 2-hydroxyethylhydrazine and HNO3 elimination; and all clusters started to dissociate at threshold energies less than 1.5 eV. The overwhelming similarities in the formation and fragmentation chemistry of positively vs. negatively charged 2-hydroxyethylhydrazinium nitrate clusters may be attributed to their inherent ionic nature and high electric conductivities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjing Zhou
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Queens College of the City University of New York, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Queens, New York 11367, USA.
- PhD Program in Chemistry, the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 365 5th Ave., New York, New York 10016, USA
| | - Jianbo Liu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Queens College of the City University of New York, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Queens, New York 11367, USA.
- PhD Program in Chemistry, the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 365 5th Ave., New York, New York 10016, USA
| | - Steven D Chambreau
- Jacobs Technology, Inc., Air Force Research Laboratory, Edwards Air Force Base, California 93524, USA
| | - Ghanshyam L Vaghjiani
- In-Space Propulsion Branch, Rocket Propulsion Division, Aerospace Systems Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, AFRL/RQRS, Edwards Air Force Base, California 93524, USA
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Parmar SM, Depew DD, Wirz RE, Vaghjiani GL. Structural Properties of HEHN- and HAN-Based Ionic Liquid Mixtures: A Polarizable Molecular Dynamics Study. J Phys Chem B 2023; 127:8616-8633. [PMID: 37776252 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c02649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/02/2023]
Abstract
Molecular dynamics simulations of binary mixtures comprising 2-hydroxyethylhydrazinium nitrate (HEHN) and hydroxylammonium nitrate (HAN) were conducted using the polarizable APPLE&P force field to investigate fundamental properties of multimode propulsion (MMP) propellants. Calculated densities as a function of temperature were in good agreement with experiments and similar simulations. The structural properties of neat HEHN and HAN-HEHN provided insights into their inherent, protic nature. Radial distribution functions (RDFs) identified key hydrogen bonding sites located at N-H···O and O-H···O within a first solvation shell of approximately 2 Å. Angular distribution functions further affirmed the relatively strong nature of the hydrogen bonds with nearly linear directionality. The increased hydroxylammonium cation (HA+) mole fraction shows the influence of competitively strong hydrogen bonds on the overall hydrogen bond network. Dominant spatial motifs via three-dimensional distribution functions along with nearly nanosecond-long hydrogen bond lifetimes highlight the local bonding environment that may precede proton transfer reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shehan M Parmar
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Daniel D Depew
- Department of Astronautical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States
| | - Richard E Wirz
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
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Zhou W, Liu J, Chambreau SD, Vaghjiani GL. Structures, Proton Transfer and Dissociation of Hydroxylammonium Nitrate (HAN) Revealed by Electrospray Ionization Tandem Mass Spectrometry and Molecular Dynamics Simulations. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:14033-14043. [DOI: 10.1039/d2cp01571d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Hydroxylammonium nitrate (HAN) is a potential propellant candidate for dual-mode propulsion systems that combine chemical and electrospray thrust capabilities for spacecraft applications. However, the electrospray dynamics of HAN is currently...
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Roy HA, Rodgers MT. 1-Alkyl-3-methylimidazolium cation binding preferences in hexafluorophosphate ionic liquid clusters determined using competitive TCID measurements and theoretical calculations. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2021; 23:18145-18162. [PMID: 34612278 DOI: 10.1039/d1cp02928b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Ionic liquids (ILs) exhibit unique properties that have led to their development and widespread use for a variety of applications. Development efforts have generally focused on achieving desired macroscopic properties via tuning of the IL through variation of the cations and anions. Both the macroscopic and microscopic properties of an IL influence its tunability and thus feasibility of use for selected applications. Works geared toward a microscopic understanding of the nature and strength of the intrinsic cation-anion interactions of ILs have been limited to date. Specifically, the intrinsic strength of the cation-anion interactions in ILs is largely unknown. In previous work, we employed threshold collision-induced dissociation (TCID) approaches supported and enhanced by electronic structure calculations to determine the bond dissociation energies (BDEs) and characterize the nature of the cation-anion interactions in a series of four 2 : 1 clusters of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium cations with the hexafluorophosphate anion, [2Cnmim:PF6]+. To examine the effects of the 1-alkyl chain on the structure and energetics of binding, the cation was varied over the series: 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium, [C2mim]+, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium, [C4mim]+, 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium, [C6mim]+, and 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium, [C8mim]+. The variation in the strength of binding among these [2Cnmim:PF6]+ clusters was found to be similar in magnitude to the average experimental uncertainty in the measurements. To definitively establish an absolute order of binding among these [2Cnmim:PF6]+ clusters, we extend this work again using TCID and electronic structure theory approaches to include competitive binding studies of three mixed 2 : 1 clusters of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium cations and the hexafluorophosphate anion, [Cn-2mim:PF6:Cnmim]+ for n = 4, 6, and 8. The absolute BDEs of these mixed [Cn-2mim:PF6:Cnmim]+ clusters as well as the absolute difference in the strength of the intrinsic binding interactions as a function of the cation are determined with significantly improved precision. By combining the thermochemical results of the previous independent and present competitive measurements, the BDEs of the [2Cnmim:PF6]+ clusters are both more accurately and more precisely determined. Comparisons are made to results for the analogous [2Cnmim:BF4]+ and [Cn-2mim:BF4:Cnmim]+ clusters previously examined to elucidate the effects of the [PF6]- and [BF4]- anions on the binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- H A Roy
- Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.
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Roy HA, Rodgers MT. Nature and strength of intrinsic cation-anion interactions of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate clusters. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2021; 23:13405-13418. [PMID: 34105537 DOI: 10.1039/d1cp01130h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Imidazolium-based cations and the hexafluorophosphate anion are among the most commonly used ionic liquids (ILs). Yet, the nature and strength of the intrinsic cation-anion interactions, and how they influence the macroscopic properties of these ILs are still not well understood. Threshold collision-induced dissociation is utilized to determine the bond dissociation energies (BDEs) of the 2 : 1 clusters of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium cations and the hexafluorophosphate anion, [2Cnmim:PF6]+. The cation, [Cnmim]+, is varied across the series, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium [C2mim]+, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium [C4mim]+, 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium [C6mim]+, 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium [C8mim]+, to examine the structural and energetic effects of the size of the 1-alkyl substituent of the cation on the binding to [PF6]-. Complementary electronic structure methods are employed for the [Cnmim]+ cations, (Cnmim:PF6) ion pairs, and [2Cnmim:PF6]+ clusters to elucidate details of the cation-anion interactions and their impact on structure and energetics. Multiple levels of theory are benchmarked with the measured BDEs including B3LYP, B3LYP-GD3BJ, and M06-2X each with the 6-311+G(d,p) basis set for geometry optimizations and frequency analyses and the 6-311+G(2d,2p) basis set for energetic determinations. The modest structural variation among the [Cnmim]+ cations produces only minor structural changes and variation in the measured BDEs of the [2Cnmim:PF6]+ clusters. Present results are compared to those previously reported for the analogous 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate IL clusters to compare the effects of these anions on the nature and strength of the intrinsic binding interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- H A Roy
- Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.
| | - M T Rodgers
- Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.
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Zeng HJ, Khuu T, Chambreau SD, Boatz JA, Vaghjiani GL, Johnson MA. Ionic Liquid Clusters Generated from Electrospray Thrusters: Cold Ion Spectroscopic Signatures of Size-Dependent Acid-Base Interactions. J Phys Chem A 2020; 124:10507-10516. [PMID: 33284621 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.0c07595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
We determine the intramolecular distortions at play in the 2-hydroxyethylhydrazinium nitrate (HEHN) ionic liquid (IL) propellant, which presents the interesting case that the HEH+ cation has multiple sites (i.e., hydroxy, primary amine, and secondary ammonium groups) available for H-bonding with the nitrate anion. These interactions are quantified by analyzing the vibrational band patterns displayed by cold cationic clusters, (HEH+)n(NO3-)n-1, n = 2-6, which are obtained using IR photodissociation of the cryogenically cooled, mass-selected ions. The strong interaction involving partial proton transfer of the acidic N-H proton in HEH+ cation to the nitrate anion is strongly enhanced in the ternary n = 2 cluster but is suppressed with increasing cluster size. The cluster spectra recover the bands displayed by the bulk liquid by n = 5, thus establishing the minimum domain required to capture this aspect of macroscopic behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen J Zeng
- Sterling Chemistry Laboratory, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Thien Khuu
- Sterling Chemistry Laboratory, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Steven D Chambreau
- Jacobs Technology, Inc., Air Force Research Laboratory, AFRL/RQRP, Edwards Air Force Base, California 93524, United States
| | - Jerry A Boatz
- Propellants Branch, Rocket Propulsion Division, Aerospace Systems Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, AFRL/RQRP, Edwards Air Force Base, California 93524, United States
| | - Ghanshyam L Vaghjiani
- In-Space Propulsion Branch, Rocket Propulsion Division, Aerospace Systems Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, AFRL/RQRP, Edwards Air Force Base, California 93524, United States
| | - Mark A Johnson
- Sterling Chemistry Laboratory, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
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Roy HA, Hamlow LA, Rodgers MT. Gas-Phase Binding Energies and Dissociation Dynamics of 1-Alkyl-3-Methylimidazolium Tetrafluoroborate Ionic Liquid Clusters. J Phys Chem A 2020; 124:10181-10198. [PMID: 33231466 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.0c06297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Ionic liquids (ILs) have become increasingly popular due to their useful and unique properties, yet there are still many unanswered questions regarding their fundamental interactions. In particular, details regarding the nature and strength of the intrinsic cation-anion interactions and how they influence the macroscopic properties of ILs are still largely unknown. Elucidating the molecular-level details of these interactions is essential to the development of better models for describing ILs and enabling the purposeful design of ILs with properties tailored for specific applications. Current uses of ILs are widespread and diverse and include applications for energy storage, electrochemistry, designer/green solvents, separations, and space propulsion. To advance the understanding of the energetics, conformations, and dynamics of gas-phase IL clustering relevant to space propulsion, threshold collision-induced dissociation approaches are used to measure the bond dissociation energies (BDEs) of the 2:1 clusters of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium cations and tetrafluoroborate, [2Cnmim:BF4]+. The cation, [Cnmim]+, is varied across the series, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium [C2mim]+, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium [C4mim]+, 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium [C6mim]+, and 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium [C8mim]+, to examine the structural and energetic effects of the size of the 1-alkyl substituent on binding. Complementary electronic structure calculations are performed to determine the structures and energetics of the [Cnmim]+ and [BF4]- ions and their binding preferences in the (Cnmim:BF4) ion pairs and [2Cnmim:BF4]+ clusters. Several levels of theory, B3LYP, B3LYP-GD3BJ, and M06-2X, using the 6-311+G(d,p) basis set for geometry optimizations and frequency analyses and the 6-311+G(2d,2p) basis set for energetics, are benchmarked to examine their abilities to properly describe the nature of the binding interactions and to reproduce the measured BDEs. The modest structural variation among these [Cnmim]+ cations produces only minor structural changes and variation in the measured BDEs of the [2Cnmim:BF4]+ clusters. Present findings indicate that the dominant cation-anion interactions involve the 3-methylimidazolium moieties and that these clusters are sufficiently small that differences in packing effects associated with the variable length of the 1-alkyl substituents are not yet significant.
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Affiliation(s)
- H A Roy
- Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48202, United States
| | - L A Hamlow
- Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48202, United States
| | - M T Rodgers
- Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48202, United States
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9
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Booth RS, Annesley CJ. Photoinduced Intermolecular Electron Transfer in Gas Phase Ion Pairs of the 1-Ethyl-3-methylimidazolium Cation and the Bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide Anion. J Phys Chem A 2020; 124:9683-9691. [PMID: 33185452 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpca.0c06018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
In this study, the UV photodissociation of gas phase ion pairs of the ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, [emim]+[tf2n]-, is shown to proceed primarily through radical intermediates. [emim]+[tf2n]- ion pairs have been shown previously to undergo two-photon-dependent dissociation, but the mechanisms of this have not been probed in detail. By employing a two-laser pump probe spectroscopy and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations, we have illustrated that one of the major UV photodissociation pathways in [emim]+[tf2n]- ion pairs is an intermolecular electron transfer wherein the anion transfers an electron to the cation resulting in two neutral open-shelled products. These products were observable for at least 1.6 μs post photodissociation, the experimental limit, via detection of the [emim]+ cation. This data demonstrates that the likely photoproducts of [emim]+[tf2n]- UV photodissociation are two neutral species that separate spatially, demonstrated through lack of observed relaxation pathways such as electron recombination. TD-DFT and frontier molecular orbital analysis calculations at the MN15/6-311++G(d,p) level are employed to aid in identifying excited state characteristics and support the interpretations of the experimental data. The energetic onset of the intermolecular electron transfer is consistent with previously observed [emim]+[tf2n]- absorption spectra in the bulk and gas phases. The similarities between bulk and gas phase UV spectra imply that this electron-transfer pathway may be a major photodissociation channel in both phases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan S Booth
- Institute for Scientific Research, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Boston, Massachusetts 02467, United States
| | - Christopher J Annesley
- Space Vehicles Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87117, United States
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De Silva M, Brown AC, Patrick AL. Thermal- and collision-induced dissociation studies of functionalized imidazolium-based ionic liquid cations. JOURNAL OF MASS SPECTROMETRY : JMS 2020; 55:e4518. [PMID: 32578308 DOI: 10.1002/jms.4518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Ionic liquids are now used in applications ranging from chemical synthesis to spacecraft propulsion. With this comes the need to characterize new syntheses, identify environmental contamination, and determine eventual fate in terrestrial and space environments. This work investigates the effects of source conditions, particularly capillary temperature, on the observed mass spectrum and determines the collision-induced dissociation (CID) patterns of imidazolium-based ionic liquid cations as a function of their substituent types. Experiments were carried out on a Thermo LTQ-XL ion-trap mass spectrometer and a Bruker microTOF-Q II mass spectrometer. Dissociation of the imidazolium cations occurred predominantly via substituent losses, except in benzyl-substituted systems, for which the neutral loss of the imidazole was exclusively observed. Several of these dissociation pathways were studied in greater depth using complementary quantum chemical calculations. The nature of the neutral losses from the substituents was found to be highly dependent upon the nature of the substituent, as would be expected, establishing bases for characterization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maleesha De Silva
- Department of Chemistry, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi, USA
| | - Andrew C Brown
- Department of Chemistry, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi, USA
| | - Amanda L Patrick
- Department of Chemistry, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi, USA
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Patrick AL. Electrospray ionization enters the final frontier: Mass spectrometry's role in understanding electrospray thrusters and their plumes. RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY : RCM 2020; 34:e8587. [PMID: 31509305 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.8587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Electrospray thrusters using ionic liquid (IL)-based propellants are quickly gaining popularity in spacecraft design. Mass spectrometry is especially well-suited to provide important knowledge on the fundamentals of how these systems work and on evaluating their efficiencies and impacts, given that the operating principles of electrospray thrusters closely mimics the mass spectrometry experiment - in both ions are generated by electrospray and then enter a vacuum. Here, electrospray thruster technology and IL-based propellants are briefly introduced. This introduction is then followed by a discussion of mass spectrometry's current contribution to the study of IL-based electrospray thrusters - with a focus on electrospray, dissociation, and spectroscopy studies - and a brief discussion of areas ripe for immediate contributions from the mass spectrometry community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda L Patrick
- Department of Chemistry, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MI, 39762, USA
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Patrick AL, Annesley CJ. Dissociation pathways of protic ionic liquid clusters: Alkylammonium nitrates. JOURNAL OF MASS SPECTROMETRY : JMS 2019; 54:371-377. [PMID: 30648338 DOI: 10.1002/jms.4329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Revised: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Protic ionic liquids are promising candidates for many applications, including as spacecraft propellants. For both fundamental interest and understanding clustering and dissociation during electrospray-based propulsion, it is useful to explore the dissociation pathways of protic ionic liquid clusters, as well as the factors affecting the relative contributions of each pathway to the observed MS/MS spectra. With that said, most of the published reports on ionic liquid cluster dissociation have focused on aprotic ionic liquids. The purpose of the current work is to explore the dissociation pathways (eg, loss of amine, nitric acid, or ion pair) of alkylammonium nitrates using energy-resolved collision-induced dissociation. Here, it was found that, in general, protic ionic liquids have multiple dissociation pathways-namely, protic ionic liquids can lose their neutralized cation (here, an alkylamine) or neutralized anion (here, nitric acid)-in addition to the ion pair dissociation familiar to aprotic salt and aprotic ionic liquid clusters. In general, increasing the basicity of the cation (here, through increasing the degree of alkylation) decreases the propensity to follow these alternative pathways. Interestingly, increasing the cluster size has a similar effect: as cluster size increases, nitric acid loss decreases. These results will help better model and design protic ionic liquids for electrospray-based spacecraft propulsion and help provide a better understanding for the general behavior of protic ionic liquids versus aprotic ionic liquids within mass spectrometers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda L Patrick
- Space Vehicles Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Christopher J Annesley
- Space Vehicles Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB, Albuquerque, New Mexico
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