Lanthanide-based ionic liquids: Novel soft materials with luminescent and magnetic properties

在这项由化学系化学合成计划资助的项目中，爱荷华州立大学的Anja-Verena Mudring教授旨在提高稀土的光学和磁性，以降低获得这些功能材料所需的稀土元素的水平。稀土属于对许多日常电子产品至关重要的关键元素，如手机；绿色能源技术，包括风力涡轮机和混合动力汽车。因此，稀土化合物的使用构成了电子、化学和能源行业中一个重要的战略和动态部分。然而，近年来在西方世界勘探和开采稀土的努力减少，导致对国际来源的依赖，总的来说，这些元素中的一些可获得性有限。因此，需要对稀土化学有新的科学认识和扩大研究能力。二价和三价稀土元素存在于离子液体(ILS)的阳离子或阴离子中。产品的纯度和特性由各种光谱、化学和结晶学技术确定。目的是探索离子液体中稀土元素的化学，目的是利用离子液体增强和控制稀土离子的发光和磁性，并稳定稀土在罕见的氧化态。该研究计划旨在发展稀土在室温及以下的全离子介质中的化学(和物理)，这在传统溶剂中是无法实现的。离子液体被用作低声子环境和光收集器，以改善稀土的发光性能，开发基于具有高磁矩的复杂稀土离子的新型磁流变液，并稳定稀土的异常氧化态。这个项目涉及一种面向团队的方法，它将为本科生、研究生和博士后提供基础研究经验。这些学生有机会直接与学术和工业合作伙伴以及商科学生合作。将作出特别努力，将妇女和传统上代表性不足的群体成员纳入这项研究。

In this project funded by the Chemical Synthesis program of the Chemistry Division, Professor Anja-Verena Mudring of Iowa State University aims to enhance optical and magnetic properties of rare earths to reduce the level of lanthanides required to obtain these functional materials. Rare earths belong to the group of critical elements that are vital for many every day electronics, such as cell phones; green energy technologies, including wind turbines and hybrid cars. Therefore, the use of rare earth compounds constitutes an important strategic and dynamic segment of the electronic, chemical, and energy industries. However, reduced efforts to explore and mine rare earths in the western world in recent years has led to a dependency on international sources, and availability of a number of these elements is limited, in general. Thus, there is a need for new scientific understanding and expanded research capabilities on rare earth chemistry. Divalent and trivalent rare earth elements are incorporated in the cation or anion of ionic liquids (ILs). The product purity and identity are determined by a variety of spectroscopic, chemical, and crystallographic techniques. The purpose is to explore the chemistry of rare earth elements in ILs with the goal of using ILs to enhance and control the luminescent and magnetic properties of the rare earth ions and to stabilize rare earths in uncommon oxidation states. The research program aims to develop the chemistry (and physics) of rare earths in totally ionic media, at room temperature and below, which is otherwise not available in conventional solvents. The ILs are used as low-phonon environments and light harvesters to improve the luminescent properties of the rare earth, develop new magnetorheological fluids based on complex rare earth ions with high magnetic moments, and stabilize unusual oxidation states of the rare earths. This project involves a team oriented approach which will provide a fundamental research experience to undergraduates, graduates, and postdoctoral students. These students have the opportunity to work directly with academic and industrial partners and with business students. A special effort will be made to include women and members of traditionally underrepresented groups in this research.