Ionic liquids analogues based on potassium carbonate

Ionic liquids analogues (ILA) are emerging as a new class of green solvents with the favorable properties of low cost, low volatility, biodegradability and suitability for many industrial applications. In an attempt to synthesize a novel ILA, potassium carbonate was successfully used as a salt with either glycerol or ethylene glycol as hydrogen bond donors (HBD). The physical properties of this ILA were measured at different temperatures (293.15-353.15 K) and salt:HBD molar ratios (K₂CO₃:glycerol = 1:1 to 1:6 and K₂CO₃:ethylene glycol = 1:3 to 1:8). The properties measured included freezing point, density, viscosity, surface tension, refractive index, conductivity and pH. This type of ILA exhibited similar physico-chemical properties to other solvents reported in literature. The values of these properties indicated that the prepared ILA have great potential for possible industrial applications.