ionic liquids Archives

A novel micro-valve for use in reliable small-scale thrusters

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Researchers investigate electrowetting of ionic liquids with the potential to be used in micro-valve thrusters in space

The changing shapes of liquid droplets on charged solid surfaces have been widely studied for decades – but only recently have physicists begun to explore how this ‘electrowetting’ behaviour can be enhanced through the use of salts in their liquid states. In their research, Professor Weizong Wang and Mr Jinrui Zhang at Beihang University, Beijing, China, have exploited this effect […]

Aromaticity in anions in fluorine-free ionic liquids

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ILs composed of bis(trifluoromethyl sulfonyl)imide (TFSI) anion with different nitrogen-based aromatic and aliphatic cations – such as imidazolium, pyridinium, pyrrolidinium, piperidinium and quaternary ammonium derivatives – are widely tested in energy storage research. The quaternary ammonium cations and their derivatives, coupled with the TFSI anion, have good electrochemical stability at room temperature, but are thermally less stable than their quaternary […]