Ionic Liquids as Reagents and Polymers Laboratory

In the IL-RP lab, we focus on both the discovery and application of new ionic liquid structures in order to address persistent problems found in biotechnology, synthesis, and energy sectors. The chemical utility and versatility of ionic liquids allows for user-defined customization that can be targeted towards these specific applications and emerging challenges. We draw upon fundamental synthetic and materials chemistry to design our new reagents/polymers that address core-issues found within next-generation batteries, fuel-cells, and nanomaterials, while also developing a new class of alkylating ionic liquid (AIL) for use in biotechnology and synthesis applications.

While ionic liquids have been explored in great detail for a number of applications, ranging from solvents to battery electrolytes, their use as polymers or as synthetic reagents is comparatively sparse. The key to their development in these fields are the structure-activity relationships that can be observed and subsequently harnessed upon derivatization. [more]
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