Research Summary
Charles L. Hussey, professor of chemistry
Our current research efforts are directed at the electrochemistry and transport properties of a variety of room-temperature ionic liquids. Two classes of these ionic solvents that are of particular interest are the organic chloroaluminates with adjustable Lewis acidity, such as aluminum chloride-1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, and inert hydrophobic ionic liquids such as tri-1-butylmethylammonium bis((trifluoromethane)sulfonyl)imide. Projects under investigation include electrochemical processing of spent nuclear fuel components, electrodeposition of corrosion-resistant, non-equilibrium aluminum-transition metal alloys, and measurement of the heterogeneous kinetics of outer-sphere redox couples in highly viscous ionic liquid solutions.
Our current research efforts are directed at the electrochemistry and transport properties of a variety of room-temperature ionic liquids. Two classes of these ionic solvents that are of particular interest are the organic chloroaluminates with adjustable Lewis acidity, such as aluminum chloride-1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, and inert hydrophobic ionic liquids such as tri-1-butylmethylammonium bis((trifluoromethane)sulfonyl)imide. Projects under investigation include electrochemical processing of spent nuclear fuel components, electrodeposition of corrosion-resistant, non-equilibrium aluminum-transition metal alloys, and measurement of the heterogeneous kinetics of outer-sphere redox couples in highly viscous ionic liquid solutions.