Sustainability assessment of alternative synthesis routs to aprotic ionic liquids: the case of 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate for fuel desulfurization
File(s)
Supporting information
Accepted version
Author(s)
Baaqel, Husain
Hallett, Jason P
Guillen-Gosalbez, Gonzalo
Chachuat, Benoit
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Advantages of ionic liquids (ILs) over volatile organic solvents in chemical processes include no or negligible evaporative losses and high tunability. However, the conventional production of aprotic ILs via metathesis can be unattractive (both economically and environmentally) because of its high complexity, while the performance of other synthesis routes remains unclear. Existing life-cycle assessments furthermore fail to combine the production and use phases of these solvents, leading to erroneous conclusion about their sustainability credentials. This paper compares a one-pot, halide-free production route to 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate [BMIM][BF4] against metathesis and two conventional fuel desulfurization solvents, namely, acetonitrile and dimethylformamide (DMF). Halide-free synthesis is predicted to reduce the cost and environmental impacts associated with the production of [BMIM][BF4] by 2–5-fold compared to metathesis. Upon including the use phase of the solvents in fuel desulfurization and accounting for the uncertainty in background data, halide-free [BMIM][BF4] consistently presents the lowest cost and environmental impacts, while DMF is the worst in class. As well as exemplifying the importance of synthesis routes of ILs on their sustainability, these results highlight the need to include the use phase of solvents for more comprehensive life-cycle assessments.
Date Issued
2021-12-07
Date Acceptance
2021-12-01
Citation
ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering, 2021, 10 (1), pp.323-331
ISSN
2168-0485
Publisher
American Chemical Society
Start Page
323
End Page
331
Journal / Book Title
ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering
Volume
10
Issue
1
Copyright Statement
© 2021 American Chemical Society
Identifier
http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000730539200001&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Technology
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Engineering, Chemical
Chemistry
Science & Technology - Other Topics
Engineering
life-cycle assessment
techno-economics
sustainability
process modeling
process simulation
ionic liquids
fuel desulfurization
LIFE-CYCLE ASSESSMENT
EXTRACTIVE DESULFURIZATION
ECOINVENT DATABASE
SULFUR-DIOXIDE
SOLVENTS
HYDROCARBONS
CHALLENGES
BIOMASS
WATER
LCA
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2021-12-17