Getting over the hump - adsorption model from ionic liquids

Overcoming the hump – the limited use of sustainable ionic liquids (IL) in real-life energy, nanotechnology, and surface modification applications – is hindered by the endless cycle of synthesis and testing of novel ILs for specific tasks. We propose an alternative – well-studied ILs with organic additives to enhance the interfacial properties through organic adsorption. However, a comprehensive understanding of the adsorption of organics in ILs is lacking. Therefore, this project aims to develop an adsorption model from ILs based on systematic interface characterisation. The model will rationalise the impact of: • substrate material and properties; • functionalisation of adsorbate organic molecules (porphyrins); • common impurities of ILs (H2O, O2). The project will benefit academia through improvements in first-principle knowledge, and the derivation of the adsorption model will reduce the industry's RD costs, with society benefitting via sustainable and safer end products.