SBIR Phase I: Novel synthesis method for ionic liquids

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is targeted at the development of a novel, continuous method for the production of ionic liquids. Ionic liquids are a class of industrial chemicals that can replace volatile organic compounds and other chemicals in production processes with a low-vapor pressure, reusable, and more environmentally benign set of chemicals. Ionic liquids can replace organic solvents in industrial processes, can be used to make non-flammable batteries, and even capture CO2 from power plants. While the potential of ionic liquids is significant, the current cost is prohibitive.. DellaTech, LLC proposes to develop a novel, cost-effective method for producing ionic liquids in industrial volumes. The highly flexible technique enables continuous production of ionic liquids with low capital cost. It eliminates the use of solvents in the synthesis process, and produces a very high purity product. The broader/commercial impacts of this research are to make ionic liquids cost-effective in a wide range of industries. Ionic liquids can replace volatile organic solvents in a vast range of industrial processes, are leading candidates for biomass processing, and have broad applications in electrochemistry, advanced batteries, supercapacitors and as heat transfer fluids in advanced concentrating solar plants. In addition, our innovative synthesis technique has broad application across the chemical industry. Cost-effective ionic liquids are critical elements of the new energy economy, with applications in biomass, solar power, and grid-scale energy storage. Techniques developed in this research will enable technologies that will enhance U.S. energy security.