Modeling the viscosity of binary and ternary mixtures of ionic liquids

Ionic liquids are organic-cation salts that feature the property of being liquid at lower temperatures than their inorganic counterparts. This peculiar characteristic added to their versatility and recoverability make those compounds excellent candidates for many applications such as a replacement for conventional toxic and hardly recyclable organic solvents, among others. However, their high viscosity is often a hindering factor in the implementation of ionic liquids in viable industrial processes. Mixtures of ionic liquids are a way of fine-tuning their physical and chemical properties. Mathematical models of physical properties are therefore essential to save time and money on the design of those mixtures. The aim of this project is to build a viscosity model for mixtures of ionic liquids, valid over wide ranges of composition and temperature. Since viscosity data for ionic liquid mixtures over wide ranges of composition and temperature are very scarce, the objective of this project is to obtain experimental data, which will permit to calibrate the model. We expect that the data will permit the development of a viscosity model that will pave the way for process simulation with ionic liquid mixtures.

Faculty Supervisor:

Christian Robelin;Jean-Philippe Harvey

Student:

Partner:

University of Aveiro

Discipline:

Physics

Sector:

Clean Technology; Sustainability & the Environment; Other

University:

École Polytechnique de Montréal

Program: