Characterization of surface properties of 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ionic liquid by inverse gas chromatography

Abstract

The determination of the dispersive component of surface free energies (gamma(s)d) at different temperatures and Lewis acid-base parameters of 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ionic liquid ([AMIM]Cl) were investigated by means of inverse gas chromatography (IGC). Four n-alkanes, including n-hexane (C6), n-heptane (C7), n-octane (C8) and n-nonane (C9), were chosen as the apolar probes to characterize the dispersive component of the surface free energies at 343.15, 353.15, 363.15 and 373.15 K, respectively; and dichloromethane (DCM), trichloromethane (TCM), tetrahydrofuran (THF), ethyl acetate (EtAc), acetone (Acet) as the polar probes to estimate the Lewis acid-base parameters to judge the interactions between [AMIM] Cl and the solvents. The IGC characterizations encompassed the adsorption thermodynamic parameters to acid-base surface interactions, including the standard enthalpy (deltaHa(s)) and the free energy change of adsorption (deltaGa(s)) at different temperatures. The results showed that the Lewis acid parameter Ka of [AMIM] Cl was 0.34, and the base parameter Kb was 1.68, which indicated it was Lewis amphoteric with predominantly basic character. Furthermore, the free energy of adsorption deltaGa(s) was also figured out. It was found that the gamma(s)d of the [AMIM] Cl were 52.26, 50.82, 46.08 and 42.05 mJ/m2 at 343.15, 353.15, 363.15 and 373.15 K, respectively. The results are of great importance to the study of the surface properties and the application of ionic liquid.