Liquid structure of sulfuric acid and derived protic ionic liquids

Ionic liquids (ILs) are liquids consising entirely of ions, known for unique physico-chemical properties, which can be tuned in a wide range of parameters. They have the potential for wide-spread uses: as solvents for biomass, electrolytes for batteries and media for gas separation and storage, to name a few - but many tend to be very expensive. In this work we study ionic liquids based on sulfuric acid and a simple amine, which have two key advantages: they have shown excellent performance in several industrially important processes, and are extremely cheap. Already piloted in the synthesis of plasticisers (estrification reaction) and in biomass valorisation process, their price is on par with comodity solvents. This work will give the first insight into their liquid structure, explaining some of their unique properties and hopefully enabling further optimisation.