Ionic Liquids: Sustainable and Designed Solution for Process Industry and Green Environment

There has been increasing research conducted in designing solvents to suit applications due to limited range of molecular solvents. One of the potential solutions is Ionic liquids (ILs), considered to be a new class of magical solvents with unusual physical and chemical properties. The ILs properties could be designed based on the combinations of cation and anion used and as such, they have been termed as "designer solvents”. The presentation covers the advancements in removal of hazardous substances potentially applied in oil and gas applications, using ILs. Simulation approach to screen the appropriate ILs for several applications will be discussed. Due to its high cost, some possible means for reducing it will be suggested. As all ILs are not exactly green, consideration on the toxicity aspects especially on aquatic environment will be presented. Given the pros and cons, some thoughts on the emerging industrial applications will also be highlighted.