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Sustainable Chemistry with Ionic Liquids and Deep Eutectic Solvents: From Fundamentals to Applications

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Liquids".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 1739

Editor


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Guest Editor
REQUIMTE/LAQV, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
Interests: molecular dynamics simulations; density functional theory; ionic liquids; deep eutectic solvents; electric double layer; interface; electrolyte; energy storage
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Ionic liquids (ILs) and deep eutectic solvents (DES) have emerged as powerful alternatives to traditional organic solvents, attracting widespread attention for their unique and tunable properties. This Special Issue, "Sustainable Chemistry with Ionic Liquids and Deep Eutectic Solvents: From Fundamentals to Applications," is dedicated to showcasing the latest research in this exciting field.

Both ILs and DES offer significant advantages. Ionic liquids, which are molten salts, are known for their negligible vapor pressure and high thermal stability, making them ideal for applications in catalysis, electrochemistry, and as electrolytes in energy storage devices. Deep eutectic solvents, often derived from natural compounds, are considered "green" and sustainable alternatives with applications ranging from biomass processing to drug delivery.

This Special Issue will cover a broad spectrum of topics, including the synthesis of new ILs and DES, the investigation of their fundamental physical and chemical properties, and their use in various fields. We welcome both experimental and theoretical works, as well as original research articles and comprehensive reviews, to highlight the latest developments and future challenges in this rapidly growing area.

Dr. Iuliia Voroshylova
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • ionic liquids
  • deep eutectic solvents
  • green chemistry
  • sustainable solvents
  • electrolytes
  • catalysis
  • electrochemistry
  • biomass
  • extraction

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

18 pages, 3430 KB  
Article
Deep Eutectic Solvents as a Sustainable Approach for Silica Recovery from Rice Husk
by Célio S. Faria-Júnior, Lucas dos Santos Silva, Armando L. C. Cunha, Filipe S. Buarque and Bernardo Dias Ribeiro
Molecules 2025, 30(24), 4697; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30244697 - 8 Dec 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1409
Abstract
Rice husk is a lignocellulosic biomass rich in silica, which, when disposed of inappropriately, represents an environmental hazard. This study investigated the application of deep eutectic solvents (DES) as a green and efficient approach to the rice husk fractionation, combining the selective dissolution [...] Read more.
Rice husk is a lignocellulosic biomass rich in silica, which, when disposed of inappropriately, represents an environmental hazard. This study investigated the application of deep eutectic solvents (DES) as a green and efficient approach to the rice husk fractionation, combining the selective dissolution of lignin and sugars with the purification of the silica-rich inorganic fraction. Six different DES were produced from choline chloride or betaine with different hydrogen bond donors and characterized for water content and pH. The DES based on carboxylic acids was more acidic, which favored the cleavage of ester and glycosidic bonds in the biomass. The TGA, XRF, SEM, and XRD analyses revealed that the lactic acid-based DES promoted better removal of lignin and mineral impurities, resulting in a purer silica with an amorphous morphology. The 110 °C condition was the most effective in preserving the thermal integrity of the organic (sugars and lignin) and inorganic (silica-rich ash) fractions. The results highlight the potential of DES as selective, sustainable, and tunable solvents for the valorization of agricultural waste, achieving biosilica with SiO2 purity exceeding 80% and lignin removal above 70%, reinforcing the potential of DES as sustainable solvents for agricultural waste valorization. Full article
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