Role of LiBF4 in Ionic Liquid Membranes for Facilitated CO2 Transport.

The ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMIM BF4)/LiBF4 electrolyte was prepared for highly selective facilitated CO2 transport membranes. When LiBF4 was incorporated into BMIM BF4, synergy effects by free Li+ ion and imidazolium cations is expected to enhance the separation performance for CO2/N2 and CO2/CH4. The free state of BF4- ions in BMIM BF4/LiBF4 solutions was investigated by FT-Raman spectroscopy. For the coordination of LiBF4 with BMIMBF4, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was utilized. Electrolyte membranes consisting of BMIM BF4 and LiBF4 showed selectivities of 8.40 and 8.25 for CO2/N2 and CO2/CH4, respectively. Neat BMIM BF4 membrane showed selectivities of 5.0 and 4.8, respectively. Enhanced separation performance was attributed to increased free Li+ and abundant free imidazolium cations.