One trillion! 10~(12)! That's the estimated number of ionic liquids (ILs) possible from the pairing of bulky, polarizable organic cations and smaller, mostly inorganic, cations. Although ILs have been known for over a century, only in the last 10-15 years have researchers intensely pursued the incredible potential of these species. Applications abound in energy storage, chemical synthesis, machinery, and medicine: electrolytes with wide solvation capability, catalysts, lubricants, and pharmaceutical in vitro transport, to name a few.
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