Phase equilibria of didecyldimethylammonium nitrate ionic liquid with water and organic solvents

Abstract

The phase diagrams for binary mixtures of an ammonium ionic liquid, didecyldimethylammonium nitrate, [DDA][NO 3], with: alcohols (propan-1-ol, butan-1-ol, octan-1-ol, and decan-1-ol): hydrocarbons (toluene, propylbenzene, hexane, and hexadecane) and with water were determined in our laboratory. The phase equilibria were measured by a dynamic method from T = 220 K to either the melting point of the ionic liquid, or to the boiling point of the solvent. A simple liquidus curve in a eutectic system was observed for [DDA][NO 3] with: alcohols (propan-1-ol, butan-1-ol, and octan-1-ol); aromatic hydrocarbons (toluene and propylbenzene) and with water. (Solid + liquid) equilibria with immiscibility in the liquid phase were detected with the aliphatic hydrocarbons heptane and hexadecane and with decan-1-ol. (Liquid + liquid) equilibria for the system [DDA][NO 3] with hexadecane was observed for the whole mole fraction range of the ionic liquid. The observation of the upper critical solution temperature in binary mixtures of ([DDA][NO 3] + decan-1-ol, heptane, or hexadecane) was limited by the boiling temperature of the solvent. Characterisation and purity of the compounds were determined by elemental analysis, water content (Fisher method) and differential scanning microcalorimetry (d.s.c.) analysis. The d.s.c. method of analysis was used to determine melting temperatures and enthalpies of fusion. The thermal stability of the ionic liquid was resolved by the thermogravimetric technique–differential thermal analysis (TG–DTA) technique over a wide temperature range from (200 to 780) K. The thermal decomposition temperature of 50% of the sample was greater than 500 K. The (solid + liquid) phase equilibria, curves were correlated by means of different G Ex models utilizing parameters derived from the (solid + liquid) equilibrium. The root-mean-square deviations of the solubility temperatures for all calculated data are dependent upon the particular system and the particular equation used. Comparison of the solubilities of different ammonium salts in alcohols, in hexane, in benzene, and in water are discussed.