Preparation and characterization of nanometre silicon-based ionic liquid micro-particle materials

Abstract

The nano-silicon and ionic liquid-based micro-particles (NS-ILMs) with a high specific surface area effectively overcame the limit of high viscosity encountered in the application of ionic liquids. The ionic liquid cores of NS-ILMs, which have diameters of a few microns, provide a sufficient interface for mass and heat transfer, strengthening the action between ionic liquids and gases for reactions or absorption. The microporous structures of the particle surface were found to facilitate the passage of gases, allowing with the ionic liquid core. The intensification of NS-ILM formation on application of the ionic liquid was evaluated by volatile organic compounds (VOC) capture. Acetone vapour capture in NS-ILMs was much faster than that in pure ionic liquids, and the time to reach the maximum trapping capacity was shortened by approximately ten fold. Based on thermogravimetric experiments, a dynamic model for acetone vapour capture by NS-ILMs was derived, indicating that the capture process is greater than the absorption by the internal ionic liquid.