Development of Functional Ionic Liquids
for Battery Research and Biomass Processing
Masahiro Yoshizawa-Fujita
Department of Materials & Life Sciences, Sophia University
masahi-f@sophia.ac.jp
Abstract
We have synthesized ionic liquids (ILs) that make their own component ions to immobilize under
a potential gradient. One candidate is the zwitterion structure in which both cation and anion units
attach to the parent molecules [1,2]. However, most zwitterions have melting points above 100oC
probably due to the decrease in the motional freedom of each ion and molecular interactions. In order
to depress the melting point, we synthesized zwitterions containing two oxyethylene (OE) units and
succeeded to obtain a liquid zwitterion at room temperature as shown in Fig.1 [3]. The effect of OE
units on the physical and electrochemical properties was
investigated [4]. In addition, zwitterions were added to various
electrolytes (oligo-ether [5], ILs, etc.) in order to improve the
electrochemical properties of electrolyte materials. We
investigated the effects of zwitterions on the ionic conductivity
and electrochemical stability of various electrolytes.
On the other hand, ILs with anions such as chloride or
acetate have better solubility of cellulose as compared with that
of others. ILs have great potential to achieve the efficient
extraction of natural products from the leaves of plants because
the wall of a plant cell consists mainly of cellulose. We have Figure 1 Photograph of the liquid
zwitterion with two oxyethylene units
proposed cellulose-dissolving ILs as greener and neoteric at room temperature.
alternatives to volatile organic solvents in the extraction of
biological active natural products from medicinal plant leaves
[6,7]. For example, shikimic acid, the starting material in the
commercial synthesis of oseltamivir phosphate (Tamiflu○R ), was
efficiently extracted and isolated from Ginkgo biloba leaves
utilizing an IL which dissolves cellulose (Fig.2) [6]. The
Figure 2 Extraction and isolation of
protocols are also likely to be applicable to other plant leaves, shikimic acid from Ginkgo biloba
allowing for isolation of greater quantities of other natural leaves.
products.
References
1. H. Ohno, ed., Electrochemical Aspects of Ionic Liquids, Wiley-Interscience, Hoboken, New
Jersey, 2011.
2. M. Yoshizawa, A. Narita, H. Ohno, Aust. J. Chem., 2004, 57, 139.
3. M. Yoshizawa-Fujita, T. Tamura, Y. Takeoka, M. Rikukawa, Chem. Commun., 2011, 47, 2345.
4. M. Suematsu, M. Yoshizawa-Fujita, T. Tamura, Y. Takeoka, M. Rikukawa, Int. J. Electrochem.
Sci., 2015, 10, 248.
5. M. Suematsu, M. Yoshizawa-Fujita, H. Zhu, M. Forsyth, Y. Takeoka, M. Rikukawa,
Electrochim. Acta, 2015, 175, 209.
6. T. Usuki, N. Yasuda, M. Yoshizawa-Fujita, M. Rikukawa, Chem. Commun., 2011, 47, 10567.
7. S. Onda, T. Usuki, M. Yoshizawa-Fujita, M. Rikukawa, Chem. Lett., in press.
Biography
Dr Masahiro Fujita is an associate professor in the Department of Material & Life Sciences at Sophia
University, Japan. After completing his PhD in 2002 from the Tokyo University of Agriculture &
Technology, Japan, A/Prof Fujita has held several research positions including several years with
Prof Doug MacFarlane at Monash University. Over the last 10 years he has established numerous
research collaborations in the area of ionic materials, in particular the development of ionic liquids.
Of note is A/Prof Fujita’s collaboration with Nissan Motor Corporation on developing rechargeable
batteries, Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. on understanding rechargeable batteries, Mitsubishi Materials
Electronic Chemicals Co., Ltd. on synthesizing organic ionic plastic crystals, LINTEC Co., Ltd. on
developing rechargeable batteries using zwitterions, Nippon Chemi-Con Co., Ltd. on developing
electric double-layer capacitors. A/Prof Fujita has published 66 journal articles and co-authored 11
patents, with a current h-index of 29 and over 4000 citations. He is visiting UniSA, and Australia, as
part of the Australia Japan Emerging Research Leaders Exchange Program.