CO<inf>2</inf> absorption and ion mobility in aqueous choline-based ionic liquids

Abstract

© 2018 Elsevier B.V. CO2 absorption and ion mobility are investigated in a series of 50/50 wt% aqueous solutions of choline-based ionic liquids with different cations and anions: [N1,1,4,2OH][Threo], [N1,1,5,2OH][Threo], [N1,1,6,2OH][Threo], [N1,1,5,2OH][β-ala] and [N1,1,5,2OH][Tau]. The process of CO2 absorption was completed in an hour reaching maximum of absorption capacity 0.07–0.10 wt% to ionic liquid (by 0.4–0.6 molar ratios). A rapid CO2 absorption is observed by the formation of solid product as a result of reaction between CO2 molecule and the ionic liquid. Diffusion coefficients of the cation and anion in the mixture are comparable while the diffusivity of water molecules is found to be quite different from the ions. In the process of CO2 absorption, an increase in the diffusivity of ions is observed due to the precipitation of solid products and depletion of ions contents in the liquid phase of the system. 13C NMR measurements of diffusivity of CO2 enriched with 13C isotope showed that a part of the absorbed CO2 remained in the liquid phase being physically and chemically bound to ions. The ionic liquid is re-cycled by evaporating water and releasing CO2 molecules using vacuum and temperature.