Macroscopic and Microscopic Study of 1-Ethyl-3-methyl-imidazolium Acetate–Water Mixtures

Phase transition and gel properties of chemically modified cassava starch in choline acetate and water mixtures

This work studied the phase transition and gel properties of cassava starch in aqueous choline acetate ([Ch][OAc]) solution at different [Ch][OAc]:water weight ratios. The paste viscosity and gel strength followed a similar pattern to the starch phase transition temperature, increasing at a 2:3 [Ch][OAc]:water ratio and then decreasing at 3:2 and 4:1 ratios. However, the mobility of free water in the starch gel decreased as the [Ch][OAc]:water ratio increased. At the same [Ch][OAc]:water ratios, acetylated cassava starch (ACS) underwent phase transition more easily than native cassava starch (NCS), leading to greater granule destruction. Nevertheless, ACS gels displayed more viscous-dominated rheological behavior, lower paste viscosity, viscoelasticity, and weaker water-holding capacity (WHC) than NCS gels. In contrast, cross-linked cassava starch (CCS) gels had higher paste viscosity, gel viscoelasticity, and WHC. However, at a 4:1 [Ch][OAc]:water ratio, the viscoelasticity of CCS gel was lower than NCS gel, and the differences in WHC were minimal, likely due to the incomplete phase transition of especially CCS under this condition. Our findings show that starch chemical modification significantly affects phase transition behavior and gel properties in [Ch][OAc]:water mixtures, with outcomes influenced by the viscosity of the aqueous [Ch][OAc] solution and the interaction between [Ch][OAc] and water.

Novel application for graphene oxide-based ionanofluids in flat plate solar thermal collectors

This study presents new ionanofluids (INF) composed of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ionic liquid (IL) and graphene oxide (GO) nanoparticles which have been assessed for the first time in an experimental flat plate solar thermal collector (FPSC). For this purpose, four types of INFs were synthesized, maintaining a constant concentration of GO nanoparticles dispersed in different base fluids: ionic liquid (IL/GO), a mixture of ionic liquid and water in varying concentrations (IL-water (75-25)%/GO and IL-water (50-50)%/GO), and water (Water/GO). These four INFs were characterized and their thermophysical and physicochemical properties were determined. The results indicated a 37.4% improvement in efficiency and up to a 2.5-fold increase in temperature within the collector when the IL was applied exclusively as the base fluid, compared to water. Furthermore, IL/GO demonstrated excellent stability, showing no signs of deterioration or nanoparticle precipitation two years after preparation and testing. These findings suggest that INFs based on IL and GO nanoparticles significantly enhance the efficiency of FPSC, presenting a promising option for solar energy applications and opening a new research avenue for INFs in the production of domestic hot water.

1-Ethyl-3-methylimidazolium Acetate as a Reactive Solvent for Elemental Sulfur and Poly(sulfur nitride)

We investigate the reactive dissolution process of poly(sulfur nitride) (SN)x in the ionic liquid (IL) 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate [EMIm][OAc] in comparison to the process of elemental sulfur in the same IL. It has been known from the literature that during the reaction of S8 with [EMIm][OAc], the respective thione is formed via a radical mechanism. Here, we present new results on the kinetics of the formation of the respective imidazole thione (EMImS) via the hexasulfur dianion [S6]2- and the trisulfur radical anion [S3]•-. We can show that [S6]2- is formed first, which dissociates then to [S3]•-. Also, long-term stable radicals occur, which are necessary side products provided in a reaction scheme. During the reaction of [EMIm][OAc] with (SN)x chains, two further products can be identified, one of which is the corresponding imine. The reactions are followed by time-resolved NMR spectroscopic methods that showed the corresponding product distributions and allowed the assignment of the individual signals. In addition, continuous-wave (CW) EPR and UV/vis spectroscopic measurements show the course of the reactions. Another significant difference in both reactions is the formation of a long-term stable radical in the sulfur-IL system, which remains active over 35 days, while for the (SN)x-IL system, we can determine a radical species only with the spin trap 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrrolin-N-oxide, which indicates the existence of short-living radicals. Since the molecular dynamics are restricted based on the EPR spectra, these radicals must be large.

Impact of coagulation solvent interactions on porous morphology evolution in cellulose xerogels

The role of coagulation solvent interactions on the pore formation mechanism in cellulose xerogels was investigated using single-step coagulation baths. A series of cellulose xerogels were fabricated from cotton yarns partially dissolved in ionic liquid (i.e., 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate) and then immersed in one of seven different coagulation baths. These samples were evaluated using N2 physisorption, inverse gas chromatography, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The regenerated cellulose orientation and resultant surface hydrophilicity was found to be dependent on solvent solubility interactions with an emphasis on polar interaction and dispersion force strength. More importantly, the xerogel specific surface area dramatically decreased from 100 m2g-1 to 0.278 m2g-1 with increasing hydrophilicity, confirming the importance of controlled cellulose orientation during the coagulation step of cellulose xerogel fabrication. These results have been used to propose a new pore formation mechanism in cellulose xerogels and provide recommendations towards the development of controllable porosity during xerogel fabrication.

BILFF: All-Atom Force Field for Modeling Triazolium- and Benzoate-Based Ionic Liquids

We present an extension of our previously developed all-atom force field BILFF (Bio-polymers in Ionic Liquids Force Field) to three different ionic liquids: 1-ethyl-3-methyl-1,2,3-triazolium acetate ([EMTr][OAc]), 1-ethyl-3-methyl-1,2,3-triazolium benzoate ([EMTr][OBz]), and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium benzoate ([EMIm][OBz]). These ionic liquids are of practical importance as they have the ability to dissolve significant amounts of cellulose even at room temperature. Our force field is optimized to accurately reproduce the strong hydrogen bonding in the system with nearly quantum chemical accuracy. A very good agreement between the microstructure of the quantum chemical simulations over a wide temperature range and experimental density data with the results of BILFF were observed. Non-trivial effects, such as the solvation shell structure and π-π stacking of the cations, are also accurately reproduced. Our force field enables accurate simulations of larger systems, such as solvated cellulose in different (aqueous) ionic liquids, and is the first to present the optimized parameters for mixtures of these solvents and water.

On the Rich Chemistry of Pseudo-Protic Ionic Liquid Electrolytes

Mixing weak acids and bases can produce highly complicated binary mixtures, called pseudo-protic ionic liquids, in which a complex network of effects determines the physicochemical properties that are currently impossible to predict. In this joint computational-experimental study, we investigated 1-methylimidazole-acetic acid mixtures through the whole concentration range. Effects of the varying ionization and excess of either components on the properties, such as density, diffusion coefficients, and overall hydrogen bonding structure were uncovered. A special emphasis was put on understanding the multiple factors that govern the conductivity of the system. In the presence of an excess of acetic acid, the 1-methylimidazolium acetate ion pairs dissociate more efficiently, resulting in a higher concentration of independently moving, conducting ions. However, the conductivity measurements showed that higher concentrations of acetic acid improve the conductivity beyond this effect, suggesting in addition to standard dilution effects the occurrence of Grotthuss diffusion in high acid-to-base ratios. The results here will potentially help designing novel electrolytes and proton conducting systems, which can be exploited in a variety of applications.

Effect of Oil on Cellulose Dissolution in the Ionic Liquid 1-Butyl-3-methyl Imidazolium Acetate

While ionic liquids (ILs) are well known to be excellent solvents for cellulose, the exact mechanism of dissolution has been a much disputed topic in recent years and is still not completely clear. In this work, we add to the current understanding and highlight the importance of hydrophobic interactions, through studying cellulose dissolution in mixtures of 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium acetate (BmimAc) and medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil. We demonstrate that the order in which constituents are mixed together plays a key role, through nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic analysis. When small quantities of MCT oil (0.25-1 wt %) were introduced to BmimAc before cellulose, the effect on BmimAc chemical shift values was much more significant compared to when the cellulose was dissolved first, followed by oil addition. Rheological analysis also showed small differences in the viscosities of oil-cellulose-BmimAc solutions, depending on the order the constituents were added. On the other hand, no such order effect on the NMR results was observed when cellulose was replaced with cellobiose, suggesting that this observation is unique to the macromolecule. We propose that a cellulose-oil interaction develops but only when the cellulose structure has a sufficient degree of order and not when the cellulose is molecularly dispersed, since the hydrophobic cellulose plane is no longer intact. In all cases, cellulose-BmimAc-oil solutions were stable for at least 4 months. To our knowledge, this is the first work that investigates the effect of oil addition on the dissolving capacity of BmimAc and highlights the need for further re-evaluation of accepted mechanisms for cellulose dissolution in ILs.

Ionic Liquids and Water: Hydrophobicity vs. Hydrophilicity

Many chemical processes rely extensively on organic solvents posing safety and environmental concerns. For a successful transfer of some of those chemical processes and reactions to aqueous media, agents acting as solubilizers, or phase-modifiers, are of central importance. In the present work, the structure of aqueous solutions of several ionic liquid systems capable of forming multiple solubilizing environments were modeled by molecular dynamics simulations. The effect of small aliphatic chains on solutions of hydrophobic 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethyl)sulfonylimide ionic liquids (with alkyl = propyl [C₃C₁im][NTf₂], butyl [C₄C₁im][NTf₂] and isobutyl [iC₄C₁im][NTf₂]) are covered first. Next, we focus on the interactions of sulphonate- and carboxylate-based anions with different hydrogenated and perfluorinated alkyl side chains in solutions of [C₂C₁im][C_nF_2n+1SO₃], [C₂C₁im][C_nH_2n+1SO₃], [C₂C₁im][CF₃CO₂] and [C₂C₁im][CH₃CO₂] (n = 1, 4, 8). The last system considered is an ionic liquid completely miscible with water that combines the cation N-methyl-N,N,N-tris(2-hydroxyethyl)ammonium [N_{1 2OH 2OH 2OH}]⁺, with high hydrogen-bonding capability, and the hydrophobic anion [NTf₂]^-. The interplay between short- and long-range interactions, clustering of alkyl and perfluoroalkyl tails, and hydrogen bonding enables a wealth of possibilities in tailoring an ionic liquid solution according to the needs.

Insights into the Structure and Dynamics of Imidazolium Ionic Liquid and Tetraethylene Glycol Dimethyl Ether Cosolvent Mixtures: A Molecular Dynamics Approach

In this work, the effect of molecular cosolvents tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether (TEGDME) on the structure and versatile nature of mixtures of these compounds with imidazolium-based ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([bmim][PF₆]) is analyzed and discussed at a molecular level by means of all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. In the whole concentration range of the binary mixtures, the structures and properties evolution was studied by means of systematic molecular dynamics simulations of the fraction of hydrogen bonds, the radial and spatial distribution functions for the various molecular ions and molecular species in the system, together with the snapshots visualization of equilibrated simulation boxes with a color-coding scheme and the rotational dynamics of coumarin 153 (C153) in the binary mixtures. The goal of the work is to provide a molecular-level understanding of significant improvement of ionic conductivity and self-diffusion with the presence of TEGDME as a cosolvent, which causes an enhancement to the ion translational motion and fluidity in the [bmim][PF₆] ionic liquids (ILs). Under a mixture concentration change, the microstructure changes of [bmim][PF₆] with the TEGDME molar fraction (X_TEG) above 0.50 show a slight difference from that of neat [bmim][PF₆] IL and concentrated [bmim][PF₆]/TEGDME mixture in terms of the radial and spatial distribution functions. The relative diffusivities of solvent molecules to cations as a function of concentration were found to depend on the solvent but not on the anion. A TEGDME increase is found to be advantageous to the dissipation of the polar regions as well as the nonpolar regions in the [bmim][PF₆] ionic liquids. These conclusions are consistent with the experimental results, which verified that the unique, complex, and versatile nature of [bmim][PF₆]/TEGDME mixture can be correctly modeled and discussed at a molecular level using MD simulation data.

Rheological and NMR Studies of Cellulose Dissolution in the Ionic Liquid BmimAc

Solutions of two types of cellulose in the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methyl-imidazolium acetate (BmimAc) have been analyzed using rheology and fast-field cycling nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, in order to analyze the macroscopic (bulk) and microscopic environments, respectively. The degree of polymerization (DP) was observed to have a significant effect on both the overlap (c*) and entanglement (c_e) concentrations and the intrinsic viscosity ([η]). For microcrystalline cellulose (MCC)/BmimAc solutions, [η] = 116 mL g^-1, which is comparable to that of MCC/1-ethyl-3-methyl-imidazolium acetate (EmimAc) solutions, while [η] = 350 mL g^-1 for the commercial cellulose (higher DP). Self-diffusion coefficients (D) obtained via the model-independent approach were found to decrease with cellulose concentration and increase with temperature, which can in part be explained by the changes in viscosity; however, ion interactions on a local level are also important. Both Stokes-Einstein and Stokes-Einstein-Debye analyses were carried out to directly compare rheological and relaxometry analyses. It was found that polymer entanglements affect the microscopic environment to a much lesser extent than for the macroscopic environment. Finally, the temperature dependencies of η, D, and relaxation time (T₁) could be well described by Arrhenius relationships, and thus, activation energies (E_a) for flow, diffusion, and relaxation were determined. We demonstrate that temperature and cellulose concentration have different effects on short- and long-range interactions.

Liquid structure and dynamics in the choline acetate:urea 1:2 deep eutectic solvent

We report on the thermodynamic, structural, and dynamic properties of a recently proposed deep eutectic solvent, formed by choline acetate (ChAc) and urea (U) at the stoichiometric ratio 1:2, hereinafter indicated as ChAc:U. Although the crystalline phase melts at 36-38 °C depending on the heating rate, ChAc:U can be easily supercooled at sub-ambient conditions, thus maintaining at the liquid state, with a glass-liquid transition at about -50 °C. Synchrotron high energy x-ray scattering experiments provide the experimental data for supporting a reverse Monte Carlo analysis to extract structural information at the atomistic level. This exploration of the liquid structure of ChAc:U reveals the major role played by hydrogen bonding in determining interspecies correlations: both acetate and urea are strong hydrogen bond acceptor sites, while both choline hydroxyl and urea act as HB donors. All ChAc:U moieties are involved in mutual interactions, with acetate and urea strongly interacting through hydrogen bonding, while choline being mostly involved in van der Waals mediated interactions. Such a structural situation is mirrored by the dynamic evidences obtained by means of ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance techniques, which show how urea and acetate species experience higher translational activation energy than choline, fingerprinting their stronger commitments into the extended hydrogen bonding network established in ChAc:U.

A force field for bio-polymers in ionic liquids (BILFF) - part 1: [EMIm][OAc]/water mixtures

We present BILFF, a novel force field for bio-polymers in ionic liquids. In the first part of our study, we introduce optimized force field parameters for mixtures of the ionic liquid (IL) 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([EMIm][OAc]) with water. This imidazolium-based IL is of particular practical importance as it can dissolve significant amounts of cellulose even at room temperature. An understanding of this dissolution process via molecular dynamics simulations requires a quantitative description of the microscopic structure and the strong hydrogen bonds with a method able of simulating at least several dozen nanoseconds, which is the main aim of our novel force field. To reach this goal, we optimize the force field parameters to reproduce radial, spatial, and combined distribution functions, hydrogen bond lifetimes, diffusion coefficients, and several other quantities from reference ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations. Non-trivial effects such as dispersion interactions between the side chains and π-π stacking of the cations are reproduced very well. We further validate the force field by comparison to experimental data such as thermal expansion coefficients, bulk modulus, and density at different temperatures, which yields good agreement and correct trends. No other force field with optimized parameters for mixtures of [EMIm][OAc] and water has been presented in the literature yet. Optimized force field parameters for cellulose and other ILs will be published in upcoming articles.

Regeneration behavior of chitosan from ionic liquid using water and alcohols as anti-solvents

While ionic liquids (ILs) have been considered as effective and "green" solvents for biopolymer processing, regeneration of IL-dissolved biopolymers could largely impact biopolymer structure and properties. This study indicates that the reconstitution of chitosan structure during regeneration from 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([Emim][OAc]) depends on anti-solvent (water, methanol or ethanol) largely. Irrespective of anti-solvent, the chitosan chemical structure was not varied by dissolution or regeneration. With water, the regenerated chitosan had the highest crystallinity index of 54.18%, followed by those with methanol (35.07%) and ethanol (25.65%). Water as an anti-solvent could promote chitosan chain rearrangement, leading to the formation of an ordered aggregated structure and crystallites. Density functional theory (DFT) simulation indicates that the number of hydrogen bonds formed between anti-solvents and [Emim][OAc] was in the order of water > methanol > ethanol. With water used for regeneration, the aggregation and rearrangement of chitosan chains occurred more easily.

Ion Dissociation in Ionic Liquids and Ionic Liquid Solutions

The extent to which cations and anions in ionic liquids (ILs) and ionic liquid solutions are dissociated is of both fundamental scientific interest and practical importance because ion dissociation has been shown to impact viscosity, density, surface tension, volatility, solubility, chemical reactivity, and many other important chemical and physical properties. When mixed with solvents, ionic liquids provide the unique opportunity to investigate ion dissociation from infinite dilution in the solvent to a completely solvent-free state, even at ambient conditions. The most common way to estimate ion dissociation in ILs and IL solutions is by comparing the molar conductivity determined from ionic conductivity measurements such as electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) (which measure the movement of only the charged, i.e., dissociated, ions) with the molar conductivity calculated from ion diffusivities measured by pulse field gradient nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (PFG-NMR, which gives movement of all of the ions). Because the NMR measurements are time-consuming, the number of ILs and IL solutions investigated by this method is relatively limited. We have shown that use of the Stokes-Einstein equation with estimates of the effective ion Stokes radii allows ion dissociation to be calculated from easily measured density, viscosity, and ionic conductivity data (ρ, η, λ), which is readily available in the literature for a much larger number of pure ILs and IL solutions. Therefore, in this review, we present values of ion dissociation for ILs and IL solutions (aqueous and nonaqueous) determined by both the traditional molar conductivity/PFG-NMR method and the ρ, η, λ method. We explore the effect of cation and anion alkyl chain length, structure, and interaction motifs of the cation and anion, temperature, and the strength of the solvent in IL solutions.

Exploring Large Ductility in Cellulose Nanopaper Combining High Toughness and Strength

Cellulose nanopaper is a strong lightweight material made from renewable resources with a wide range of potential applications, from membranes to electronic displays. Most studies on nanopaper target high mechanical strength, which compromises ductility and toughness. Herein, we demonstrate the fabrication of highly ductile and tough cellulose nanopaper via mechanical fibrillation of hemicellulose-rich wood fibers and dispersion of the obtained cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) in an ionic liquid (IL)-water mixture. This treatment allows hemicellulose swelling, which leads to dissociation of CNF bundles into highly disordered long flexible fibrils and the formation of a nanonetwork as supported by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) imaging. Rheology of the suspensions shows a 300-fold increase in storage and loss moduli of CNF-IL-water suspensions, compared to their CNF-water counterparts. The nanopaper prepared by removing the IL-water shows a combination of large elongation (up to 35%), high strength (260 MPa), and toughness as high as 51 MJ/m³, because of efficient interfibrillar slippage and energy dissipation in the highly disordered isotropic structure. This work provides a nanostructure-engineered strategy of making ductile and tough cellulose nanopaper.

Diffusion and Relaxometry to Study Carbohydrates Dissolved in Ionic Liquids

Solutions of xylan and xylose in 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate [C2mim] [OAc], a room temperature ionic liquid, were examined across a range of temperatures (20°C–70 °C) using: NMR spectroscopy; diffusion; low-field (20 MHz) spin–lattice and spin–spin relaxation times; and rheological measurements through the zero shear rate viscosity. The addition of xylose and xylan affect the mobility of the ions, with a decrease occurring when the carbohydrate concentration is increased. The ratio of the diffusion coefficients for the anion to the cation remained constant upon the addition of both xylan and xylose, showing that the anion and cation were equally affected by the presence of the carbohydrate. The translational diffusion motion of the ions in the xylose solutions were similar in value to published results for cellobiose, which we explain in terms of the number of available carbohydrate OH groups that the ions are interacting with. We observe from the various NMR results that the dissolving mechanism of xylan in [C2mim] [OAc] is similar to that for cellulose.

Water Clathrates in Nanostructural Organization of Hydrated Ionic Liquids Manifest a Peculiar Density Trend

Ionic liquid-water binary solutions have significantly expanded the applications of ionic liquids (ILs) in chemical and biological research. Therefore, considerable research has focused on measuring the thermophysical properties of these binary mixtures. From low-to-moderate concentrations of water, several IL/water mixtures exhibit deviations from expected trends in thermophysical behavior. One such example is a unique density trend observed for certain IL classes, which exhibit a characteristic increase in density with the addition of small amounts of water. Since water primarily interacts with the IL anion, such deviations have always been explained in the context of anion-water associations. Surprisingly, however, IL/water mixtures containing different cations but a common lactate anion exhibit similar peculiarities in density trends. Using atomistic level molecular dynamics simulations, we show that diverse density trends are caused by cation-mediated modulations in the IL nanostructure. Depending on its nature, the IL cation can play a dual role in modulating the IL nanostructure: (i) resist water-mediated breakdown of the nanostructure by interacting with the anion very strongly, (ii) further strengthen the nanostructure by incorporating water in the IL framework. The [emim] cation fails to play both roles resulting in the density decrease, while the [tmg] cation fulfills both roles leading to a density rise. The choline cation resists the density fall by inducing the formation of "water-clathrates" in the solution. Such occurrence of clathrates in IL/water binary mixtures, reported for the first time in this study, further emphasizes that the properties of ILs and its mixtures are not merely determined by the chemical nature of the component ions, but also by their unique nanostructural organizations. These unique nanostructural organizations also manifest in their unusual dynamics.

Interactions between callose and cellulose revealed through the analysis of biopolymer mixtures

The properties of (1,3)-β-glucans (i.e., callose) remain largely unknown despite their importance in plant development and defence. Here we use mixtures of (1,3)-β-glucan and cellulose, in ionic liquid solution and hydrogels, as proxies to understand the physico-mechanical properties of callose. We show that after callose addition the stiffness of cellulose hydrogels is reduced at a greater extent than predicted from the ideal mixing rule (i.e., the weighted average of the individual components’ properties). In contrast, yield behaviour after the elastic limit is more ductile in cellulose-callose hydrogels compared with sudden failure in 100% cellulose hydrogels. The viscoelastic behaviour and the diffusion of the ions in mixed ionic liquid solutions strongly indicate interactions between the polymers. Fourier-transform infrared analysis suggests that these interactions impact cellulose organisation in hydrogels and cell walls. We conclude that polymer interactions alter the properties of callose-cellulose mixtures beyond what it is expected by ideal mixing.

Despite their importance in plant development and defence the properties of (1,3)-β-glucan remain largely unknown. Here, the authors find that addition of (1,3)-β-glucans increases the flexibility of cellulose and its resilience to high strain, an effect originating in molecular level interactions.

The local structure in the BmimPF6/acetonitrile mixture: the charge distribution effect

The effect of the charge distribution on the local structure in the binary mixture of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BmimPF₆) ionic liquid and acetonitrile is investigated over the entire composition range.

NMR and Rheological Study of Anion Size Influence on the Properties of Two Imidazolium-based Ionic Liquids

NMR self-diffusion and relaxation, coupled with viscosity, were used to study the properties and structure of two imidazolium-based ionic liquids, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate [C₂MIM][OAc] and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium octanoate [C₂MIM][OOct]. The experimental results point to the formation of different types of aggregates in each ionic liquid. These aggregates are small and stable under flow and temperature in [C₂MIM][OAc], whereas the aggregates are large and sensitive to flow and temperature in [C₂MIM][OOct]. In the latter case the size of aggregates decreases both under flow and temperature increase.

How water manifests the structural regimes in ionic liquids

Ionic liquids (ILs) are being considered as greener alternatives to the conventional organic solvents. However, highly viscous nature of ILs often limits their applications. Hence studies on IL/water binary mixtures have received tremendous attention. These mixtures exhibit much lower viscosity, but almost similar density, compressibility and other properties as that of the neat ILs, up to certain water content. Hence, determining the IL-water ratio till which the solution behaves like IL and subsequently changes to a state of solute IL dissolved in continuous water phase is of paramount importance. Noting the very different and characteristic behaviours of neat ILs and pure water over a temperature range, herein, we measured the various thermophysical properties of the binary mixtures of tetramethylguanidinium benzoate/water and tetramethylguanidinium salicylate/water with water content varying from 20 wt% to 95 wt% for a temperature range of 298 K to 343 K. The results show that similar to neat ILs, the measured densities and compressibility of these mixtures display a linear change, and viscosity decreases rapidly as temperature is increased for water content up to 50 wt%. At higher water concentrations, the measured density and compressibility exhibit nonlinear behaviour and the decrease in viscosity with increased temperature is minute, mimicking the behaviour of bulk water. MD simulations were carried out to explain the experimental observations. Simulation results show a greater temperature-induced disintegration of IL ion-water interactions in dense systems, explaining the rapid decay of the properties with temperature. The results also exhibit the presence of a neat, IL-like, H-bond mediated expanded structure in concentrated solution versus a collapsed IL structure in dilute solution.

In silico insights into the solvation characteristics of the ionic liquid 1-methyltriethoxy-3-ethylimidazolium acetate for cellulosic biomass

Lignocellulosic biomass is a domestically grown, sustainable, and potentially carbon-neutral feedstock for the production of liquid fuels and other value added chemicals. This underutilized renewable feedstock has the potential to alleviate some of the current socio-economic dependence on foreign petroleum supplies while stimulating rural economies. Unfortunately, the potential of biomass has largely been underdeveloped due to the recalcitrant nature of lignocellulosic materials. Task-specific ionic liquids (ILs) have shown considerable promise as an alternative non-aqueous solvent for solvation and deconstruction of lignocellulose in the presence of metal chloride catalyst or enzymes. Recently it has been hypothesized that adding oxygen atoms to the tail of an imidazolium cation would alleviate some of the negative characteristics of the ILs by increasing mass transport properties, and decreasing IL deactivation of enzymes, while at the same time retaining favorable solvation characteristics for lignocellulose. Reported here are fully atomistic molecular dynamic simulations of 1-methyltriethoxy-3-ethylimidazolium acetate ([Me-(OEt)3-Et-IM(+)] [OAc(-)]) that elucidate promising molecular-level details pertaining to the solvation characteristics of model compounds of cellulose, and IL-induced side-chain and ring puckering conformations. It is found that the anion interactions with the saccharide induce alternate ring puckering conformations from those seen in aqueous environments (i.e.(1)C4), while the cation interactions are found to influence the conformation of the ω dihedral. These perturbations in saccharide structures are discussed in the context of their contribution to the disruption of hydrogen bonding in cellulosic architecture and their role in solvation.

Ion-water wires in imidazolium-based ionic liquid/water solutions induce unique trends in density

Ionic liquid/water binary mixtures are rapidly gaining popularity as solvents for dissolution of cellulose, nucleobases, and other poorly water-soluble biomolecules. Hence, several studies have focused on measuring the thermophysical properties of these versatile mixtures. Among these, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ([emim]) cation-based ILs containing different anions exhibit unique density behaviours upon addition of water. While [emim][acetate]/water binary mixtures display an unusual rise in density with the addition of low-to-moderate amounts of water, those containing the [trifluoroacetate] ([Tfa]) anion display a sluggish decrease in density. The density of [emim][tetrafluoroborate] ([emim][BF4])/water mixtures, on the other hand, declines rapidly in close accordance with the experimental reports. Here, we unravel the structural basis underlying this unique density behavior of [emim]-based IL/water mixtures using all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The results revealed that the distinct nature of anion-water hydrogen bonded networks in the three systems was a key in modulating the observed unique density behaviour. Vast expanses of uninterrupted anion-water-anion H-bonded stretches, denoted here as anion-water wires, induced significant structuring in [emim][Ac]/water mixtures that resulted in the density rise. Conversely, the presence of intermittent large water clusters disintegrated the anion-water wires in [emim][Tfa]/water and [emim][BF4]/water mixtures to cause a monotonic density decrease. The differential nanostructuring affected the dynamics of the solutions proportionately, with the H-bond making and breaking dynamics found to be greatly retarded in [emim][Ac]/water mixtures, while it exhibited a faster relaxation in the other two binary solutions.

A nuclear magnetic resonance study of water in aggrecan solutions

Aggrecan, a highly charged macromolecule found in articular cartilage, was investigated in aqueous salt solutions with proton nuclear magnetic resonance. The longitudinal and transverse relaxation rates were determined at two different field strengths, 9.4 T and 0.5 T, for a range of temperatures and aggrecan concentrations. The diffusion coefficients of the water molecules were also measured as a function of temperature and aggrecan concentration, using a pulsed field gradient technique at 9.4 T. Assuming an Arrhenius relationship, the activation energies for the various relaxation processes and the translational motion of the water molecules were determined from temperature dependencies as a function of aggrecan concentration in the range 0-5.3% w/w. The longitudinal relaxation rate and inverse diffusion coefficient were approximately equally dependent on concentration and only increased by upto 20% from that of the salt solution. The transverse relaxation rate at high field demonstrated greatest concentration dependence, changing by an order of magnitude across the concentration range examined. We attribute this primarily to chemical exchange. Activation energies appeared to be approximately independent of aggrecan concentration, except for that of the low-field transverse relaxation rate, which decreased with concentration.