Toward Industrialization of Ionic Liquids
Roland Kalb
Abstract
ByIonic liquid industrialization the end of 2018, more than 80,000 scientific papers were published, and 17,000 patent applications were filed on ionic liquidsIonic liquids . The field experienced an archetypal hype cycle, with inflated expectations followed by a period of disillusionment, and is now on an upward slope of enlightenment. While there are no massive-scale applications of ionic liquidsIonic liquids today, and the market remains behind the mid-term forecasts, there are many indications that ionic liquidsIonic liquids will become a commercial success story. This chapter summarizes critical statements collected by surveying 25 academic and industrial leaders. Recent market developments are discussed and evaluated, including 57 ionic liquidIonic liquid applications that have been commercializedCommercialized Ionic Liquid Applications or are being developed on a pilot scale as of 2019. By comparison, there were only 13 commercial and pilot applications in 2008. In conclusion, the author is confident that the field will soon reach maturity and ionic liquidsIonic liquids will enter megatrend mass markets.