Low Toxic Ionic Liquids, Liquid Catanionics, and Ionic Liquid Microemulsions

Abstract

In the future the demand of sustainable and low toxic surfactants and solvents will constantly increase. In this article, we present some new approaches to meet these requirements. Whereas ionic liquids are often based on imidazolium ions, we will show that there are also much less toxic ones, especially with choline as cation. Choline salts, even if solid at room temperature, can advantageously be mixed with other sustainable solids to form deep eutectic solvents, that is, “green” liquids at room temperature. Further, choline can be used to dissolve long-chain carboxylates in water thus maybe permitting new applications of soaps. Alternatively, choline and other natural cations can be part of promising low toxic cationic surfactants. By combining them with ethoxylated carboxylates, interesting charged room temperature liquid surfactant combinations can be obtained. Finally, we shortly discuss the potential benefits of ionic liquids in microemulsions.

Keywords:

• Choline soaps
• green surfactants
• ionic liquids
• LIPAs
• liquid catanionics
• low toxicity
• microemulsion

Notes

From the Proceedings from Formula VI in Stockholm 2010.