For over a decade, ionic liquids (ILs) have attracted enormous attention from scientists
across the globe. The history of these compounds traces back to 1914 where the inception
of the first IL with a melting point of 12°C was made. Years later, a progression
of the remarkable related compounds have been discovered. Out of many analogous
compounds realized from time to time, the imidazolium class of ionic liquid is the most
studied because of their air and moisture stability. The physicochemical properties of ILs
differ significantly depending on the anionic/cationic species and alkyl chain length. ILs
have found application in many scientific fields the most recent being good solvents and
stabilizing agents in the nanomaterial synthesis. Studies have showed that ILs not only
stabilize as synthesized nanomaterials but also provide environmentally green routes
towards nanomaterials engineering.
National
Research Foundation—South Africa (NRF)