Gan G. Redhi

Separation of Aromatic Solvents from the Reformate Fraction of an Oil Refining Process using Extraction by a Designed Ionic Liquid

Separation of aromatic solvents, from mixtures containing aliphatic solvents as the major fraction, is important, inter alia, for its reuse in industrial processes. This report deals with the use of a designed and synthesized ionic liquid (N-butyl-N-methyl-2-oxopyrrolidonium bromide) for the separation of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX), including all the isomers of xylene. For comparison purposes, a previously-used ionic liquid (1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ethyl sulphate) was also synthesized and used. The experimental parameters established for the separation/extraction of the mixed standard of BTEX were applied to the separation/extraction of the components of BTEX from the reformate fraction of an oil refining process. The method was tested for BTEX components varying in concentration from 0.5 to 10%. The results show that the new ionic liquid gives higher extraction efficiency than the one used in a previous project. The results are as good as that obtained by a local oil refinery which used a conventional solvent. Furthermore, the results reveal a general increase in percentages extracted in the following order: m-xylene < p-xylene ˜ o-xylene < ethyl benzene < toluene < benzene.

Synthesis and characterization of 2′,3′-epoxy propyl-N-methyl-2-oxopyrrolidinium salicylate ionic liquid and study of its interaction with water or methanol

Important physico-chemical properties of ionic liquids (ILs) can be manipulated by adjusting the nature of the cation or anion. These properties are exploited in applications such as organic synthesis, catalysis and electrochemical processes to mention a few. In this work, the novel pyrrolidone ionic liquid N-(2′,3′-epoxypropyl)-N-methyl-2-oxopyrrolidinium salicylate [EPMpyr]+[SAL]− was synthesized using two steps and characterized. The temperature dependent density and speed of sound for ionic liquid, methanol, water, and their corresponding binary mixtures of {IL (1) + methanol or water (2)} were measured over the entire range of mole fractions at temperatures from T = (293.15 to 313.15) K in steps of 5 K, under atmospheric pressure. The calculated thermodynamic properties such as excess molar volume VEm, isentropic compressibility ks, intermolecular free length Lf, and deviation in isentropic compressibility Δks, were derived from the investigated density and speed of sound data. The resulting experimental data for excess molar volumes VEm, intermolecular free length Lf, and deviation in isentropic compressibility Δks, were well fitted to the Redlich–Kister polynomial equation. The effect of temperature and concentration on thermophysical properties was also provided.

Separation of aromatic solvents from oil refinery reformates by a newly designed ionic liquid using gas chromatography with flame ionization detection

The aim of this study was to determine whether the new ionic liquid, N,N-dimethyl-2-oxopyrrolidonium iodide, synthesized in our laboratory is a suitable solvent for the separation of aromatic components benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes from petroleum mixtures (reformates) in liquid-liquid extraction. In pursuance of the above aim, a method to extract all components of a mixture, containing four aromatic components simultaneously, was developed. A new ionic liquid and a previously used liquid were compared for their extraction abilities. These ionic liquids were, respectively, N,N-dimethyl-2-oxopyrrolidinium iodide and 1-ethyl-3-methyl imidazolium ethyl sulfate. The concentrations of each benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes component in the extract and raffinate phases were measured by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection as volume percent to determine the extraction ability of the ionic liquids. The results obtained for both the reformate samples and model mixtures indicated that the new ionic liquid was effective as an extracting solvent for the recovery of aromatic components from reformates. Also the analysis results, using gas chromatography with flame ionization detection, for the reformate samples were as good as the results obtained by a local oil refinery. The extraction results also show that the developed method is very suitable for the separation and analysis of aromatic components in reformates.

Influence of temperature on molecular interactions of imidazolium-based ionic liquids with acetophenone: thermodynamic properties and quantum chemical studies

The physicochemical properties namely: densities (ρ), sound velocities (u), viscosities (η), and refractive indices (nD) of a series of alkyl imidazolium-based ionic liquids (ILs) with same cation and different anion and vice versa of ILs: 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate [BMIM]+[BF4]−, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate [BMIM]+[PF6]−, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazoium ethyl sulphate [EMIM]+[EtSO4]− and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate [EMIM]+[BF4]−, with acetophenone over the wide range of composition and at (293.15, 303.15, 313.15, 323.5 and 333.15) K under atmospheric pressure is reported in this study. The excess molar volumes, (VEm), deviation in isentropic compressibilities (Δκs), deviation in viscosities (Δη) and deviation in refractive indices (ΔnD) were derived from experimental results. The VEm, Δκs and ΔnD values for the mentioned systems are both negative and positive over the entire composition range while the Δη values are negative under the same experimental conditions. The derived properties were fitted to the Redlich–Kister polynomial equation to check the accuracy of experimental results. Furthermore, the inter-ionic interactions between the cations and anions of the ILs both in vacuo and in acetophenone (using continuum solvation) were confirmed using quantum chemical technique such as [Density Functional Theory (DFT)]. The quantum chemical results are in good agreement with the experimental results suggesting that there exist appreciable interactions between the ILs and acetophenone. The theoretical and measured data were interpreted in terms of intermolecular interfaces and structural effects between similar and dissimilar molecules upon mixing in order to obtain more information on the thermophysical and thermodynamic properties of ILs and their binary mixtures. This study will contribute to the data bank of thermodynamic properties of IL mixtures, so as to establish principles for the molecular design for chemical separation processes and to enhance the applications of ILs in certain aspects of research or industrial application.

CHAPTER 12:Aspects of Recent Advances in Smart Ionic Liquid Based Sensors

This chapter includes some basic concepts and the most recent advancements of ionic liquids in the electrochemical field are briefly discussed. Although ionic liquids are known by only a few scientists and engineers, their potential applications in future technologies is unlimited and holds great promise. Electrochemistry has become a large field covering several key ideas such as energy, environment, nanotechnology, and analysis. It is hoped that the contributions on ionic liquids in this book chapter will stimulate new insight in the sensory field as well. The applications of ionic liquids in this chapter have been narrowed to the latest results of electrochemistry, especially focused on electrochemical and biosensors and its application in identifying the bioactive compounds, metal detections and food supplements.