Molecular structure, flow properties and particle stability and settling in protic ionic liquids

Particle stability and settling has been investigated using batch settling and light scattering for 1μm silica spheres in a series of protic ionic liquids (ILs), including ethylammonium nitrate (EAN), propylammonium nitrate (PAN), ethanolammonium nitrate (EtAN), ethylammonium formate (EAF) and dimethylethylammonium formate (DMEAF). As part of the knowledge required for this investigation, rheological studies of each of the pure ILs were conducted, as well as for mixtures containing pairs of those ILs (excepting DMEAF for safety reasons). Rheological studies were also used to probe the behaviour of dissolved poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) in the ILs EAN and PAN.