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US 10,596,561 B2Granted
Halometallate ionic liquid micro-emulsions
AssigneeUop LLC
InventorsAvram M. Buchbinder, Hayim Abrevaya, Gavin P. Towler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A micro-emulsion and a method of making the micro-emulsion are described. The micro-emulsion includes a hydrocarbon component, an ionic liquid component, and a co-solvent. The ionic liquid comprises a halometallate anion and a cation. The micro-emulsion can optionally include a surfactant, and a catalyst promoter. The co-solvent has a polarity greater than the polarity of the hydrocarbon. The ionic liquid is present in an amount of about 0.05 wt % to about 40 wt % of the micro-emulsion.
Claims17
A micro-emulsion comprising:
- a hydrocarbon component comprising a hydrocarbon having a polarity;
- an ionic liquid component comprising an ionic liquid, the ionic liquid comprising a halometallate anion and a cation, wherein the ionic liquid does not contain fluorine;
- a co-solvent having a polarity greater than the polarity of the hydrocarbon, wherein the co-solvent is miscible in the hydrocarbon, and wherein the co-solvent is present in an amount of about 30 wt % to about 80 wt % of the micro-emulsion;
- a surfactant, wherein a molar ratio of the surfactant to the ionic liquid is less than 2.5:1;
- and
- a catalyst promoter, wherein a molar ratio of the catalyst promoter to the ionic liquid is 0.1:1 to 1:1;
- wherein the ionic liquid is present in an amount of about 0.05 wt % to about 40 wt % of the micro-emulsion;
- and
- wherein the micro-emulsion comprises micelles or reverse micelles and wherein more than about 90% of the micelles or reverse micelles have a diameter less than about 100 nanometers.
6 more elements
A method of forming a micro-emulsion comprising:
- contacting a hydrocarbon, a co-solvent, an ionic liquid, a surfactant, and a catalyst promoter to form the micro-emulsion, the micro-emulsion comprising a hydrocarbon component comprising the hydrocarbon and an ionic liquid component comprising the ionic liquid, the ionic liquid comprising a halometallate anion and a cation, the co-solvent having a polarity greater than a polarity of the hydrocarbon, the co-solvent being miscible in the hydrocarbon, the co-solvent being present in an amount of about 30 wt % to about 80 wt % of the micro-emulsion, the ionic liquid being present in an amount of about 0.05 wt % to about 40 wt % of the micro-emulsion;
- wherein a molar ratio of the surfactant to the ionic liquid is less than 2.5:1, wherein a molar ratio of the catalyst promoter to the ionic liquid is 0.1:1 to 1:1, wherein the ionic liquid does not contain fluorine, wherein the micro-emulsion comprises micelles or reverse micelles and wherein more than about 90% of the micelles or reverse micelles have a diameter less than about 100 nanometers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.