Alkaline earth chlorides as buffering agents for ambient temperature chloroaluminate molten salts

摘要

We have observed that it is possible to buffer 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (EMIC) - AlCl_3 melts to neutrality using MgCl_2 or CaCl_2. CaCl_2 acts as a base, buffering acidic (AlCl_3 - rich) melts, while MgCl_2 acts as an acid, buffering basic (EMIC - rich) melts. The electrochemical window of both buffered melts is about 4.4V, the same as that of a neutral (equimolar) melt and wider than that of an acidic or basic melt.