@article{XieWhiteWeberetal.2011, author = {Xie, Zai-Lai and White, Robin J. and Weber, Jens and Taubert, Andreas and Titirici, Magdalena M.}, title = {Hierarchical porous carbonaceous materials via ionothermal carbonization of carbohydrates}, series = {Journal of materials chemistry}, volume = {21}, journal = {Journal of materials chemistry}, number = {20}, publisher = {Royal Society of Chemistry}, address = {Cambridge}, issn = {0959-9428}, doi = {10.1039/c1jm00013f}, pages = {7434 -- 7442}, year = {2011}, abstract = {We report on the ionothermal synthesis of porous carbon materials from a variety of carbohydrate precursors (i.e. D-glucose, D-fructose, D-xylose, and starch) using 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrachloroferrate(III), [Bmim][FeCl(4)] as a reusable solvent and catalyst. The carbon materials derived from these different carbohydrates are similar in terms of particle size and chemical composition, possessing relatively high surface areas from 44 to 155 m(2) g(-1) after ionothermal processing, which can be significantly increased to > 350 m(2) g(-1) by further thermal treatment (e. g. post-carbonization at 750 degrees C). CO(2) and N(2) sorption analysis, combined with Hg intrusion porosimetry, reveals a promising hierarchical pore structuring to these carbon materials. The ionic liquid [Bmim][FeCl(4)] has a triple role: it acts as both a soft template to generate the characterized pore structuring, solvent and as a catalyst resulting in enhanced ionothermal carbon yields. Importantly from a process point of view, the ionic liquid can be successfully recovered and reused. The current work shows that ionothermal synthesis has the potential to be an effective, low cost, and green reusable synthetic route towards sustainable porous carbon materials.}, language = {en} } @article{XieTaubert2011, author = {Xie, Zai-Lai and Taubert, Andreas}, title = {Thermomorphic behavior of the ionic liquids [C(4)mim][FeCl4] and [C(12)mim][FeCl4]}, series = {ChemPhysChem : a European journal of chemical physics and physical chemistry}, volume = {12}, journal = {ChemPhysChem : a European journal of chemical physics and physical chemistry}, number = {2}, publisher = {Wiley-VCH}, address = {Weinheim}, issn = {1439-4235}, doi = {10.1002/cphc.201000808}, pages = {364 -- 368}, year = {2011}, abstract = {The iron-containing ionic liquids 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrachloroferrate(III) [C(4)mim][FeCl4] and 1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrachloroferrate(III) [C(12)mim][FeCl4] exhibit a thermally induced demixing with water (thermomorphism). The phase separation temperature varies with IL weight fraction in water and can be tuned between 100 degrees C and room temperature. The reversible lower critical solution temperature (LCST) is only observed at IL weight fractions below ca. 35\% in water. UV/Vis, IR, and Raman spectroscopy along with elemental analysis prove that the yellow-brown liquid phase recovered after phase separation is the starting IL [C(4)mim][FeCl4] and [C(12)mim][FeCl4], respectively. Photometry and ICP-OES show that about 40\% of iron remains in the water phase upon phase separation. Although the process is thus not very efficient at the moment, the current approach is the first example of an LCST behavior of a metal-containing IL and therefore, although still inefficient, a prototype for catalyst removal or metal extraction.}, language = {en} }