Cholinium Carboxylate Hydrotropic Composition for Low Toxicity Extraction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Ionic liquids (ILs) pose environmental hazards due to their water solubility and toxicity, particularly in aquatic environments, limiting their industrial applications and compliance with regulations like REACH.
Innovation Solution
A hydrotropic composition comprising surface-active cationic components such as cholinium, guanidinium, or tetramethylguanidinium combined with long-chain carboxylate anions like isostearate and neodecanoate, which exhibit low toxicity and enhanced extraction properties in biomass and petroleum chemistry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If ionic liquids are used as green alternatives for molecular solvents, then environmental release risk is reduced due to low vapor pressures, but water solubility creates potent ecotoxicological hazards for aquatic organisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of ionic liquids by selecting specific cation-anion combinations (cholinium with carboxylate anions having 6-20 carbon atoms) to fundamentally alter the toxicity profile while maintaining the low vapor pressure advantage, thereby resolving the contradiction between reduced environmental release and decreased ecotoxicological hazard
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates composite ionic liquid structures by combining surface-active cationic components with long-chain carboxylate anions, producing a material that exhibits both low vapor pressure (reducing atmospheric release) and low water solubility (reducing aquatic toxicity), thus simultaneously addressing both harmful factors
2Productivity
If surface-active ionic liquids are used for extraction of organic compounds and metal ions, then extraction efficiency is improved, but toxicity to aquatic organisms increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the carbon chain length parameter of the carboxylate anion (6-20 carbon atoms) to achieve an optimal balance between extraction efficiency (enhanced by surface activity) and reduced toxicity (achieved through specific chain length and branching), allowing both requirements to be satisfied simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces local quality differentiation by using branched carboxylate anions (such as isostearate, decanoate, or neodecanoate) where the branching structure locally modifies the molecular properties to reduce toxicity while maintaining overall extraction capability through the surface-active nature of the ionic liquid
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The composition demonstrates low toxicity in aqueous environments, with median effective concentrations exceeding 10 mg/l and critical micelle concentrations above 10 mM, effectively reducing environmental impact while maintaining extraction efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
critical micelle concentrations above 10 mM
Data Source
AI summary
Hydrotropic composition comprising at least one surface active cationic component, which is selected from a group of cholinium, guadinium or tetramethylguadinium, preferably cholinium, and a straight or branched carboxylate anion having at least six carbon atoms; and its uses, for treating of oil sands or the like, for treating tailings from separation of bitumen, asphaltenes or the like.