The rational design of ionic liquid-based metal ion separation systems requires either that the ion transfer properties of these systems be predictable from the known behavior of conventional organic solvents or that the mechanism(s) of ion transfer be understood at a fundamental level.  With this in mind, we have examined the extraction of selected metal ions (e.g., alkaline earths and pertechnetate) from aqueous media into a series of N,N'-dialkylimidazolium-based room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) , either alone or in the presence of crown ethers.  The results obtained indicate that although certain aspects of metal ion extraction into RTILs parallel the behavior of conventional solvents, ionic liquids frequently play a much more active role in the partitioning process, with ion exchange involving the cationic or anionic constituents of the ionic liquid comprising an important mode of ion transfer.

Modes of metal ion transfer into ionic liquids (ILs): Implications for the application of ILs as extraction solvents

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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