Ionic liquids have the potential to play an important role as alternative media for separations processes in the fuel cycles of advanced nuclear energy systems to help meet the world's energy needs. In such applications, ILs will be exposed to ionizing radiation.  It is important to understand the factors that control their radiation stability and whether the chemical changes induced by irradiation of ionic liquids affect their performance in extraction systems. In this study, the consequences of ionization radiation exposure to various ionic liquids have been explored. Selected dialkylimidazolium bistriflylimide salts were exposed to doses of Co-60 gamma radiation up to 2 MGy, and the radiolysis products were identified using liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. A number of products were identified and a survey of the radiolysis conditions i.e. oxygen and water content that led to their enhancement or attenuation were identified.   The specific damage locations on the dialkyimidazolium cations were probed and quantified using site-specific deuteration. Sites that were more susceptible to damage were identified; ionic liquids with modifications to these sites were also studied in an attempt to enhance the radiation stability. This work was supported by the U. S. Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Division of Chemical Sciences, Geosciences, and Biosciences under contract # DE-AC02-98CH10886.

Detailed identification of radiolysis products in imidazolium bistriflylimide ionic liquids

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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