Iconic Liquids

Ionic liquids are salts which are fluid at ambient temperatures. They have several advantages over conventional molecular solvents, which make them environmentally compatible:

• Dissolves many different inorganic and organic materials
• Highly polar
• Consist of loosely co-ordinating bulky ions
• Very low vapour pressure
• Liquid window of up to 300 ºC enabling wide kinetic control
• Most liquids thermally stable >200 ºC
• Immiscible with many organic solvents
• Non-aqueous polar alternatives for phase transfer processes
• Relatively inexpensive
• Easy to handle and store

We have identified a large number of opportunities that take advantage of the features listed above:

• Metal Plating
• Electropolishing
• Metal Reprocessing
• Phase transfer media