Ionic Liquids and Methods For Using the Same

• US 20090291872A1
• Filed: 12/11/2008
• Published: 11/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Board of Regents of the University of Colorado (University of Colorado System)
• Original Assignee: The Board of Regents of the University of Colorado (University of Colorado System)
• Inventors: Bara, Jason E., Camper, Dean E., Noble, Richard D., Gin, Douglas L.
• Application Number:
  US12/333,115
• Publication Number:
  US 20090291872A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 510/175
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 19/0005 with one or more auxiliary substances

Abstract

The present invention provides compositions comprising ionic liquids and an amine compound, and methods for using and producing the same. In some embodiments, the compositions of the invention are useful in reducing the amount of impurities in a fluid medium or a solid substrate.

Claims

1. A method for reducing the amount of an impurity gas from a fluid stream, said method comprising contacting the fluid stream with an impurity removing mixture comprising:

an ionic liquid; and

an amine compound,

under conditions sufficient to reduce the amount of impurity gas from the fluid source.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said method forms an addition product or a complex between the amine compound and the impurity gas.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the complex or the addition product between the amine compound and the impurity gas forms a precipitate from the impurity removing mixture.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the impurity removing mixture further comprises a solvent.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the amine compound comprises a monoamine compound of the formula:

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the monoamine compound is selected from the group consisting of mono(hydroxyalkyl)amine, di(hydroxyalkyl)amine, tri(hydroxyalkyl)amine, and a combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the monoamine compound comprises monoethanolamine, diglycolamine, diethanolamine, diisopropylamine, triethanolamine, methyldiethanolamine or a combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the IL is a room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL).

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the RTIL is an imidazolium-based RTIL.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the impurity gas comprises CO₂, CO, COS, H₂S, SO₂, NO, N₂O, alkyl mercaptans, H₂O, O₂, H₂, N₂, C₁-C₈ chain hydrocarbons, other volatile organic compounds, or a combination thereof.

11. A composition comprising an ionic liquid (IL) and a heteroalkylamine compound.

12. The composition of claim 11, wherein said ionic liquid is a room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL).

13. The composition of claim 11, wherein said ionic liquid comprises an imidazole core structure moiety.

14. The composition of claim 11, wherein said heteroalkylamine compound is an alkanolamine compound.

15. A composition comprising an ionic liquid and an amine compound, wherein the relative volume % of said ionic liquid compared to the total volume of said ionic liquid and said amine compound is about 60 vol % or less.

16. The composition of claim 15, wherein the relative volume % of said ionic liquid is about 50 vol % or less.

17. The composition of claim 15, wherein said amine compound is a heteroalkylamine compound.

18. The composition of claim 17, wherein said heteroalkylamine compound is an alkanolamine compound.

19. A method for removing an impurity from a fluid medium to produce a purified fluid stream, said method comprising contacting the fluid medium with an impurity removing mixture, wherein the impurity removing mixture comprises:

an ionic liquid; and

an amine compound,

under conditions sufficient to remove the impurity from the fluid medium to produce a purified fluid stream.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the impurity removing mixture further comprises a solvent.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the ionic liquid is a room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL).

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the impurity is selected from the group consisting of CO₂, CO, COS, H₂S, SO₂, NO, N₂O, H₂O, O₂, H₂, N₂, a volatile organic compound, and a combination thereof.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the volatile organic compound comprises an organothiol compounds, hydrocarbon, or a mixture thereof.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the impurity comprises CO₂, SO₂, H₂S, or a combination thereof.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the amine compound comprises a heteroalkylamine compound.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the heteroalkylamine compound comprises alkanolamine compound.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein the relative volume % of the ionic liquid relative to the total volume of ionic liquid and the amine compound is about 60 vol % or less.

28. The method of claim 19, wherein said step of contacting the fluid medium with the impurity removing mixture is conducted under pressure.

29. The method of claim 19, wherein the fluid medium comprises a hydrocarbon source.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the hydrocarbon source comprises natural gas, oil, or a combination thereof.

31. The method of claim 19, wherein said step of contacting the fluid medium with the impurity removing mixture produces an addition product between the impurity and the amine compound.

32. The method of claim 19, wherein said step of contacting the fluid medium with the impurity removing mixture produces a complex between the impurity and the amine compound.

33. The method of claim 19, wherein said step of contacting the fluid medium with the impurity removing mixture solubilizes the impurity in the impurity removing mixture.

34. A method for removing an impurity from a solid substrate surface to produce a clean solid substrate surface, said method comprising:

contacting the solid substrate surface with an impurity removing mixture, wherein the impurity removing mixture comprises;

an ionic liquid; and

an amine compound,

under conditions sufficient to remove the impurity from the solid substrate surface to produce a clean solid substrate surface.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the solid substrate comprises a semi-conductor.