Experiments were combined with atomically detailed simulations and density functional theory (DFT) calculations to understand the effect of incorporation of an ionic liquid (IL), 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([BMIM][PF]), into a metal organic framework (MOF with a zeolitic imidazolate framework), ZIF-8, on the CO separation performance. The interactions between [BMIM][PF] and ZIF-8 were examined in deep detail, and their consequences on CO/CH, CO/N, and CH/N separation have been elucidated by using experimental measurements complemented by DFT calculations and atomically detailed simulations. Results suggest that IL-MOF interactions strongly affect the gas affinity of materials at low pressure, whereas available pore volume plays a key role for gas adsorption at high pressures. Direct interactions between IL and MOF lead to at least a doubling of CO/CH and CO/N selectivities of ZIF-8. These results provide opportunities for rational design and development of IL-incorporated MOFs with exceptional selectivity for target gas separation applications.

Thermal stability limits of 33 imidazolium ionic liquids (ILs) immobilized on three of the most commonly used high surface area metal-oxides, SiO2, γ-Al2O3, and MgO, were investigated. ILs were chosen from a family of 13 cations and 18 anions. Results show that the acidity of C2H of an imidazolium ring is one of the key factors controlling the thermal stability. An increase in C2H bonding strength of ILs leads to an increase in their stability limits accompanied by a decrease in interionic energy. Systematic changes in IL structure, such as changes in electronic structure and size of anion/cation, methylation on C2 site, and substitution of alkyl groups on the imidazolium ring with functional groups have significant effects on thermal stability limits. Furthermore, thermal stability limits of ILs are influenced strongly by acidic character of the metal-oxide surface. Generally, as the point of zero charge (PZC) of the metal-oxide increases from SiO2 to MgO, the interactions of IL and metal-oxide dominate over interionic interactions, and metal-oxide becomes the significant factor controlling the stability limits. However, thermal stability limits of some ILs show the opposite trend, as the chemical activities of the cation functional group or the electron donating properties of the anion alter IL/metal-oxide interactions. Results presented here can help in choosing the most suitable ILs for materials involving ILs supported on metal-oxides, such as for supported ionic liquid membranes (SILM) in separation applications or for solid catalyst with ionic liquid layer (SCILL) and supported ionic liquid phase (SILP) catalysts in catalysis.

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Interactions between 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, [BMIM]­[BF4], and high-surface-area metal oxides, SiO2, TiO2, Fe2O3, ZnO, γ-Al2O3, CeO2, MgO, and La2O3, covering a wide range of point of zero charges (PZC), from pH = 2 to 11, were investigated by combining infrared (IR) spectroscopy with density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The shifts in spectroscopic features of the ionic liquid (IL) upon coating different metal oxides were evaluated to elucidate the interactions between IL and metal oxides as a function of surface acidity. Consequences of these interactions on the short- and long-term thermal stability limits as well as the apparent activation energy (E a) and rate constant for thermal decomposition of the supported IL were evaluated. Results showed that stability limits and E a of the IL on each metal oxide significantly decrease with increasing PZC of the metal oxide. Results presented here indicate that the surface acidity strongly controls the IL–surface interactions, which determine the material properties, such as thermal stability. Elucidation of these effects offers opportunities for rational design of materials which include direct interactions of ILs with metal oxides, such as solid catalysts with ionic liquid layer (SCILL), and supported ionic liquid phase (SILP) catalysts for catalysis applications or supported ionic liquid membranes (SILM) for separation applications.

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