Transformation of Hydrophilic Drug into Oil-Miscible Ionic Liquids for Transdermal Drug Delivery

The transdermal delivery of hydrophilic drugs remains challenging owing to their poor ability to permeate the skin; formulation with oil media is difficult without adding chemical permeation enhancers or co-solvents. Herein, we synthesized 12 oil-miscible ionic liquid (IL) drugs comprising lidocaine-, imipramine-, and levamisole (Lev)-hydrochloride with fatty acid permeation enhancers, i.e., laurate, oleate, linoleate, and stearate as counterions. A set of in vitro and in vivo studies was performed to investigate the potency and deliverability of the transdermal drug formulations. All of the synthesized compounds were freely miscible with pharmaceutically acceptable solvents/agents (i.e., ethanol, N-methyl pyrrolidone, Tween 20, and isopropyl myristate (IPM)). In vitro permeation studies revealed that the oleate-based Lev formulation had 2.6-fold higher skin permeation capability than the Lev salts and also superior ability compared with the laurate-, linoleate-, and stearate-containing samples. Upon in vivo transdermal administration to mice, the peak plasma concentration, elimination half-life, and area under the plasma concentration curve values of Lev-IL were 4.6-, 2.9-, and 5.4-fold higher, respectively, than those of the Lev salt. Furthermore, in vitro skin irritation and in vivo histological studies have demonstrated that Lev-IL has excellent biocompatibility compared with a conventional ionic liquid-based carrier. The results indicate that oil-miscible IL-based drugs provide a simple and scalable strategy for the design of effective transdermal drug delivery systems.

Synthesis of fatty acid-based ammonium ionic liquids and their application for extraction of Co(II) and Ni(II) metals ions from aqueous solution

Leaching of cobalt and nickel into diverse water streams has become an environmental hazard and is continuously impacting human health through the food chain. Solvent extraction is the most widely accepted for separating these metals, but traditional extractants employed in conjunction with molecular diluents often lack selectivity and caused major environmental hurdles. Therefore, the development of cost-effective, environmentally friendly technologies for recovering these heavy metals has been strongly encouraged in recent years. Herein, two halogens free, low viscous, biocompatible fatty acid-based hydrophobic ionic liquids (ILs), i.e., methytrioctylammonium oleate, methytrioctylammonium linoleate were synthesized, analytically characterized and employed for recovery of cobalt, Co(II) and nickel, Ni(II) from their aqueous solutions. Extraction behaviour of Co(II) and Ni(II) was further evaluated by varying equilibrium time, ILs molar concentration, metal loading, and temperature. Thermodynamic parameters such as enthalpy change and Gibbs free energy change were also studied during extraction process. Slope analysis suggested that the extraction mechanism was an exothermic process that followed ion-transfer from the aqueous phase to the organic phase. Results showed that both fatty acid based-ILs were found to be capable of extracting >99% of Co(II) and Ni(II) from aqueous solutions at 298 K, in 15 min of shaking time using a 1:1 (org: aq.) ratio at low concentrations of 2.5-10 g L^-1. Furthermore, for methyltrioctylammonium oleate IL, Co(II) extraction was selectively preferred over Ni(II) extraction when the metal concentration was increased to above to 10 g L^-1. The stripping results showed that 2 M H₂SO₄, and 2 M HCl successfully stripped out >99% of Co(II) and Ni(II) from the organic phase, respectively compared to HNO₃.

Methyltrioctylammonium Octadecanoate as Lubricant Additive to Different Base Oils

This study investigates the use of an ionic liquid obtained from fatty acids (FAIL) as an additive at 2 wt.% in two different base oils: a mineral oil (M1) and a polyol ester (E1). Physicochemical characterization of the base oil–FAIL blends confirmed the miscibility of the FAIL in the base oils. The addition of the FAIL hardly changed the density of the base oils and the viscosity slightly increased at lower temperatures. The tribological performance of the base oils and their blends with the FAIL was determined using three different tests: Stribeck curve determination and tribofilm formation tests, both under sliding/rolling motion, and reciprocating wear tests. The M1 + FAIL blend showed the lowest friction values under the mixed lubrication regime due to its higher viscosity, while the E1 + FAIL showed the lowest friction values under the elastohydrodynamic lubrication regime, which may well have been due to its higher polarity. Only the E1 + FAIL blend outperformed the antiwear behavior of the base oil, probably because it has better chemical affinity (higher polarity) for the metallic surface. SEM images showed that the predominant wear mechanism was adhesive-type with plastic deformation and XPS studies proved that the presence of increasing amounts of organic oxygen on the wear scar caused better antiwear performance when the E1 + FAIL blend was used.

The superior lubricating performance and unique mechanism of oil-soluble protic ionic liquids with short alkyl chains

HYPOTHESIS

Ionic liquids (ILs), as lubricant additives, can greatly improve the lubricating behavior of the frictional interfaces. However, it is urgent to explore ILs with good oil solubility in nonpolar oils, and it is necessary to further study and verify the lubrication mechanism of ILs from the perspective of alkyl chain length.

EXPERIMENTS

Five protic ILs (PILs) with varying alkyl chain lengths were synthesized by proton transfer method. As additives in PAO oil, their tribological properties were investigated on SRV-V tester. Through molecular dynamics simulation, the adsorption behavior of PILs at the frictional interface was illustrated.

FINDINGS

The tribological properties of base oil could be significantly improved by adding PIL additives, but interestingly, PILs with short-chain anions showed better lubricating performance, which contradicted most of the early findings. Further analyses revealed that PILs achieved effective lubrication by the tribochemical interaction between anions and frictional interface, and the formation of cationic protective layer. However, PILs with shorter-chain anions form a denser protective layer that can better support the interfacial anions to participate in tribochemical reactions and thus abnormally exhibit superior lubricating performance than those with longer-chain anions.

Synthesis of low-viscosity hydrophobic magnetic deep eutectic solvent: Selective extraction of DNA

Fast extraction of high-purity nucleic acid from complex biological sample is the key to downstream nucleic acid analysis. In this work, two low-viscosity hydrophobic magnetic deep eutectic solvents (HMDESs) were synthesized for the selective extraction of DNA. The conformation of the HMDES was simulated by density functional theory (DFT) calculation. Characterization of HMDESs' physical (magnetism, density, viscosity, and hydrophobicity) properties and thermal (melting point and decomposition temperature) properties were conducted. Based on the HMDESs, a vortex-assisted liquid-liquid micro-extraction (VALLME) DNA method was developed. Single stranded DNA that was extracted by HMDESs could be quickly collected by an external magnet. Factors that could impact the DNA extraction process, such as HMDESs volume, temperature, extraction time, and pH were systematically investigated via single-factor experimental analysis. Under the optimized condition, the proposed extraction method has been demonstrated with the extraction of DNA from a series of complex sample matrices, including metal mixture, protein mixture and E. coli cell lysate. The DNA extracted by using HMDES-based VALLME method was well suitable for PCR amplifications. After extraction, the retained DNAs could be readily recovered by simply using Britton-Robison (BR) buffer. In addition, the interaction and corresponding binding sites between HMDESs and DNA were investigated by FT-IR and DFT calculation. This work provides a new green magnetic solvent and a rapid and environmental-friendly extraction method for the enrichment of DNA and other biological macromolecules.

Thermal Stability of Ionic Liquids: Current Status and Prospects for Future Development

Ionic liquids (ILs) are the safest solvent in various high-temperature applications due to their non-flammable properties. In order to obtain their thermal stability properties, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) is extensively used to analyze the kinetics of the thermal decomposition process. This review summarizes the different kinetics analysis methods and finds the isoconversional methods are superior to the Arrhenius methods in calculating the activation energy, and two tools—the compensation effect and master plots—are suggested for the calculation of the pre-exponential factor. With both parameters, the maximum operating temperature (MOT) can be calculated to predict the thermal stability in long-term runnings. The collection of thermal stability data of ILs with divergent cations and anions shows the structure of cations such as alkyl side chains, functional groups, and alkyl substituents will affect the thermal stability, but their influence is less than that of anions. To develop ILs with superior thermal stability, dicationic ILs (DILs) are recommended, and typically, [C4(MIM)2][NTf2]2 has a decomposition temperature as high as 468.1 °C. For the convenience of application, thermal stability on the decomposition temperature and thermal decomposition activation energy of 130 ILs are summarized at the end of this manuscript.

Conversion of fatty acid methyl esters into dibasic esters by metathesis and their lubricant properties

Monounsaturated dibasic esters were obtained by FAME metathesis and tested for viscosity, extreme temperature and other lubricant properties. Their 2EH derivatives can produce 100% bio-derived basestocks for widespread heavy duty hydraulic fluids.

Friction, Wear and Corrosion Behavior of Environmentally-Friendly Fatty Acid Ionic Liquids

This research deals with the tribological behavior and corrosion performance of three novel fatty acid anion-based ionic liquids (FAILs): methyltrioctylammonium hexanoate ([N8,8,8,1][C6:0]), methyltrioctylammonium octadecanoate ([N8,8,8,1][C18:0]) and methyltrioctylammonium octadec-9-enoate ([N8,8,8,1][C18:1]), employed for the first time as neat lubricant with five different material pairs: steel–steel, steel–aluminum alloy, steel–bronze, steel–cast iron and steel–tungsten carbide. These novel substances were previously obtained from fatty acids via metathesis reactions, identified structurally via NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) and FTIR (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy) techniques, and then characterized from a physicochemical (density, water solubility, viscosity, viscosity index and refractive index) and environmental (bacterial toxicity and biodegradability) points of view. The corrosion behavior of the three FAILs was studied by exposure at room temperature, while friction and wear tests were performed with a reciprocating ball-on-disc configuration. The main results and conclusions obtained were: (1) Corrosion in the presence of the three FAILs is observed only on the bronze surface; (2) All FAILs presented similar tribological behavior as lubricants for each tested material pair; (3) XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) analysis indicated that the surface behavior of the three FAILs in each material pair was similar, with low chemical interaction with the surfaces.

Surface chemistry of graphene and graphene oxide: A versatile route for their dispersion and tribological applications

Graphene, the most promising material of the decade, has attracted immense interest in a diversified range of applications. The weak van der Waals interaction between adjacent atomic-thick lamellae, excellent mechanical strength, remarkable thermal conductivity, and high surface area, make graphene a potential candidate for tribological applications. However, the use of graphene as an additive to liquid lubricants has been a major challenge because of poor dispersibility. Herein, a thorough review is presented on preparation, structural models, chemical functionalization, and dispersibility of graphene, graphene oxide, chemically-functionalized graphene, and graphene-derived nanocomposites. The graphene-based materials as additives to water and lubricating oils improved the lubrication properties by reducing the friction, protecting the contact interfaces against the wear, dissipating the heat from tribo-interfaces, and mitigating the corrosion by forming the protecting thin film. The dispersion stability, structural features, and dosage of graphene-based dispersoids, along with contact geometry, play important roles and govern the tribological properties. The chemistry of lubricated surfaces is critically reviewed by emphasizing the graphene-based thin film formation under the tribo-stress, which minimizes the wear. The comprehensive review provides variable approaches for the development of high-performance lubricant systems and accentuates the lubrication mechanisms by highlighting the role of graphene-based materials for enhancement of tribological properties.

Life and death of liquid-infused surfaces: a review on the choice, analysis and fate of the infused liquid layer

We review the rational choice, the analysis, the depletion and the properties imparted by the liquid layer in liquid-infused surfaces – a new class of low-adhesion surface.

Ionic liquid lubricants: when chemistry meets tribology

Ionic liquids (ILs) have emerged as potential lubricants in 2001. Subsequently, there has been tremendous research interest in ILs from the tribology society since their discovery as novel synthetic lubricating materials. This also expands the research area of ILs. Consistent with the requirement of searching for alternative and eco-friendly lubricants, IL lubrication will experience further development in the coming years. Herein, we review the research progress of IL lubricants. Generally, the tribological properties of IL lubricants as lubricating oils, additives and thin films are reviewed in detail and their lubrication mechanisms discussed. Considering their actual applications, the flexible design of ILs allows the synthesis of task-specific and tribologically interesting ILs to overcome the drawbacks of the application of ILs, such as high cost, poor compatibility with traditional oils, thermal oxidization and corrosion. Nowadays, increasing research is focused on halogen-free ILs, green ILs, synthesis-free ILs and functional ILs. In addition to their macroscopic properties, the nanoscopic performance of ILs on a small scale and in small gaps is also important in revealing their tribological mechanisms. It has been shown that when sliding surfaces are compressed, in comparison with a less polar molecular lubricant, ion pairs resist "squeeze out" due to the strong interaction between the ions of ILs and oppositely charged surfaces, resulting in a film that remains in place at higher shear forces. Thus, the lubricity of ILs can be externally controlled in situ by applying electric potentials. In summary, ILs demonstrate sufficient design versatility as a type of model lubricant for meeting the requirements of mechanical engineering. Accordingly, their perspectives and future development are discussed in this review.

Fatty Acid-Derived Ionic Liquid Lubricant. Protic Ionic Liquid Crystals as Protic Ionic Liquid Additives

Fatty acids are natural products which have been studied as green lubricants. Ionic liquids are considered efficient friction reducing and wear preventing lubricants and lubricant additives. Fatty acid-derived ionic liquids have shown potential as neat lubricant and additives. Protic ionic liquid crystals (PILCs) are protic ionic liquids (PILs) where cations and anions form ordered mesophases that show liquid crystalline behavior. The adsorption of carboxylate units on sliding surfaces can enhance the lubricant performance. Ionic liquid crystal lubricants with longer alkyl chains can separate sliding surfaces more efficiently. However, they are usually solid at room temperature and, when used as additives in water, transitions to high friction coefficients and wear rates, with tribocorrosion processes occur when water evaporation takes place at the interface. In order to avoid these inconveniences, in the present work, a protic ammonium palmitate (DPA) ionic liquid crystal has been added in 1 wt.% proportion to a short chain citrate ionic liquid (DCi) with the same protic ammonium cation. A spin coated layer of (DCi + DPA) was deposited on AISI316L steel surface before the sliding test against sapphire ball. Synergy between DCi PIL and DPA PILC additive reduces friction coefficient and wear rate, without tribocorrosion processes, as shown by scanning electron microscopy (SEM)/energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results.

Ionic Liquid Crystals in Tribology

The present work intends to provide a brief account of the most recent advances in the use of ionic liquid crystals (ILCs) in the field of tribology, that is, the development of new lubricants with the ability to reduce the coefficients of friction and the wear rates of materials under sliding conditions. After a definition of ILCs and their relationship with neutral liquid crystals (LCs) and ionic liquids (ILs), the review will be focused on the influence of molecular structure and composition on the tribological performance, the combination with base oils, surfactants or water, and the different sliding configuration and potential applications. The main mechanisms proposed in order to justify the lubricating ability of ILCs will be analyzed. Special emphasis will be made for recent results obtained for fatty acid derivatives due to their renewable and environmentally friendly nature.

Evaluation of Friction and Wear Behavior of Date Palm Fruit Syrup as an Environmentally Friendly Lubricant

The effect of various operational factors, such as sliding speed, normal load and temperature on the tribological properties of Date palm fruit syrup (DPFS) as an environmentally friendly lubricant, is investigated. Ball-on-disc wear tests are conducted on mild steel samples in the presence of DPFS as a lubricant under different conditions and the coefficient of friction and wear rate are measured. Scanning electron microscopy, stylus profilometry, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy are used to evaluate the wear tracks to determine the underlying wear mechanisms. Results showed that DPFS has excellent tribological properties in terms of low friction and low wear rates making it a potential candidate to be used as a lubricant in tribological applications.

Synthesis and tribological behavior of fatty acid constituted tetramethylguanidinium (TMG) ionic liquids for a steel/steel contact

In the present study a number of fatty acid constituted ionic liquids having tetramethylguanidinium ion as a cationic counterpart were synthesized by neutralization of 1,1,3,3‑tetramethyguanidine (TMG) with fatty acids having varying degree of alkyl chain and olefinic bonds. The structure of the synthesized ionic liquids was thoroughly characterized using a number of analytical tools such as TGA, FT-IR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. The tribo-properties of the obtained ionic liquids as high performance anti-friction and wear reducing additives were studied in different dosage to mineral base oil under condition of mixed/boundary lubrication. It was found that the anti-wear and friction reduction properties of blends were improved with increasing the alkyl chain in constituted fatty acid ionic liquids.

In situ modified multilayer graphene toward high-performance lubricating additive

To address the poor dispersibility and incompatibility of graphene toward potential applications, we propose an approach to prepare high-density modified graphene sheets by combining solvent exfoliation of graphite with chemical modification of ionic liquids (ILs).

Tribochemistry and thermo-oxidative stability of halogen-free ionic liquids

The formation of binary iron phosphates/phosphides based tribofilms from a phosphonium phosphate room-temperature ionic liquid has been reported for the first time.

Antimicrobial and lubrication properties of 1-acetyl-3-hexylbenzotriazolium benzoate/sorbate ionic liquids

1-Acetyl-3-hexylbenzotriazolium cation-based ionic liquids exhibit antimicrobial activities and improve the lubrication properties of lube base oil by reduction of friction and wear.