Ionic Liquids

Ionic liquids (ILs) are molten salts with a melting point below 100⁰C. They are generally composed of bulky, asymmetric organic cations paired with weakly coordinating inorganic or organic anions. They exhibit a unique combination of physicochemical properties, including negligible vapor pressure, high thermal and electrochemical stability, non-flammability, and wide electrochemical windows (often reaching 5–6 V).

ILs have attracted significant attention as electrolytes for energy storage devices. This interest stems from the ability to fine-tune their chemical and physical properties through deliberate selection and molecular design of both cations and anions. Currently, our group is dedicated to developing novel ionic liquids with tailored structural and functional properties for advanced energy storage applications. We synthesize and conduct detailed physicochemical characterization of these ILs—assessing viscosity, density, ionic conductivity, thermal stability, and electrochemical stability windows—to determine their suitability as electrolytes. Their performance is evaluated in Electrical Double Layer Capacitors (EDLCs) and Hybrid Supercapacitors, where they enable cost-efficiency, high-voltage operation, improved safety, and long-term capacitance stability. By integrating synthesis, characterization, and device testing, we aim to establish clear structure–property–performance relationships to advance IL-based electrolytes for safer, more efficient, and longer-lasting electrochemical capacitors.

Zheng, Z., Liu, S., & Balducci, A. (2025). Protic and Aprotic Acetate‐Based Ionic Liquids as Electrolytes for Electrical Double Layer Capacitors. ChemElectroChem, 12(7), e202400591.

Stettner, T, Balducci, A. (2021). "Protic ionic liquids in energy storage devices: Past, present and future perspective." Energy Storage Materials 40, 402-414.

Béguin, F., Presser, V., Balducci, A., & Frackowiak, E. (2014). Carbons and electrolytes for advanced supercapacitors. Advanced materials, 26(14), 2219-2251.