Ionic Liquids for Future Technologies

World-wide activities in ionic liquids (ILs) are bursting and ionic liquid research is well past its infancy. The time is ready to inspect ILs for applications. For that reason, the 2016 Ionic Liquid GRC will focus on the technological aspects of ionic liquids: The development of ILs as smart materials, their use for advanced technologies and the use of ILs in the manufacturing of high value products.

After first efforts in applying ILs as battery electrolytes in the late 1940s, it soon became apparent that ILs also possess other unique properties, e.g. a negligible vapor pressure which renders them attractive as safer and more environmentally benign solvent replacement in chemical processes. Increasing economic, societal and environmental awareness brings along an increasing demand for green technologies. Although ionic liquids are not intrinsically green, they can be designed to be green and the implementation of ILs in industrial processes may lead to a cleaner environment, enhanced work safety and a more efficient use of resources. For today and the future, probably the most important and desirable feature of ILs is that they can be intelligently engineered for a specific application due to their modular tuneability. Consequently, ILs are currently evolving from electrochemical and general solvents to novel materials with diverse applications such as lubricants or thermal, magnetic and optical fluids.

Ionic Liquids truly lie at the intersection of interdisciplinary sciences, where research areas intercept to create something new, promoting an "out-of-the-box" way of thinking. This is also reflected in the program of the 2nd Ionic Liquids GRC. This GRC will provide an opportunity to meet and discuss scientific and technological topics with international experts. Academic and industrial scientists will provide insight into key issues such as scale-up, costs, availability, governmental regulations, and other key parameters needed to plan new ventures. Poster sessions will provide much time for interaction with ionic liquid scientists and engineers from around the world.