A process removing ionic liquid from a process stream is described. The process stream is introduced into a coalescer to form an ionic liquid stream and a first treated process stream which has less ionic liquid than the process stream. The first treated process stream is introduced into a separator to form a second treated process stream. The second treated process stream has less ionic liquid than the first treated process stream. The separator is selected from a filtration zone comprising sand or carbon, an adsorption zone, a scrubbing zone, an electrostatic separation zone, or combinations thereof.

The present invention relates to the technical field of chemical engineering and catalysis. Provided are an application of an ionic liquid in propylene glycol ether synthesis and a method for synthesizing a propylene glycol ether. The ionic liquid is a methyl carbonate ionic liquid, and is used as a catalyst for catalyzing propylene glycol ether synthesis. The method for synthesizing the propylene glycol ether comprises the following steps: placing propylene oxide and an alcohol within a reactor to contact a catalyst, and heating the mixture in an enclosed environment to 50-200 C. to obtain the propylene glycol ether, wherein the catalyst is a methyl carbonate ionic liquid. The method for synthesizing propylene glycol ether provided in the present invention is a green synthesis technique, and does not require special production equipment. The method has simple and easily controllable processes, and can be used in industrial production and applications.

An electrochemical device comprises an anode and a cathode. An electrocatalyst mixture is placed between said anode and cathode. The electrocatalyst mixture comprises at least one Catalytically Active Element and, separately, at least one Helper Catalyst comprising an organic molecule, an organic ion, or a mixture of organic molecules and organic ions. The electrocatalyst mixture electrochemically converts carbon dioxide to one or more carbonaceous reaction products via the reaction: CO.sub.2+2e.sup.+2H.sup.+.fwdarw.carbonaceous reaction products, at overpotentials of 0.9 V or less.

The present invention is directed to the use of an ionic liquid as a dispersant or solvent and as a heat sink in a composition for generating oxygen, the composition further comprising at least one oxygen source formulation, and at least one metal oxide compound formulation, wherein the oxygen source formulation comprises a peroxide compound, the ionic liquid is in the liquid state at least in a temperature range from 10 C. to +50 C., and the metal oxide compound formulation comprises a metal oxide compound which is an oxide of one single metal or of two or more different metals, said metal(s) being selected from the metals of groups 2 to 14 of the periodic table of the elements.

The present invention is directed to a method for generating oxygen comprising providing at least one oxygen source, providing at least one ionic liquid, providing at least one metal oxide compound, wherein the oxygen source is a peroxide compound, the ionic liquid is in the liquid state at least in the temperature range from 10 C. to +50 C., and the metal oxide compound is an oxide of one single metal or of two or more different metals, said metal(s) being selected from the metals of groups 2 to 14 of the periodic table of the elements, and contacting the oxygen source, the ionic liquid, and the metal oxide compound.

Catalysts for the dehydration of lactic acid, lactic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof to acrylic acid, acrylic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof in liquid phase comprising an ionic liquid (IL) and an acid are provided.

Methods for making acrylic acid, acrylic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof by contacting a feed stream containing lactic acid, lactic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof with a molten salt catalyst comprising an ionic liquid (IL) and an acid in liquid phase are provided.

Catalysts for the dehydration of lactic acid, lactic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof to acrylic acid, acrylic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof in liquid phase comprising an ionic liquid (IL) and an acid are provided.

A micro-emulsion and a method of making the micro-emulsion are described. The micro-emulsion composition includes more than about 50 vol % of an oil phase and polar structures. The oil phase comprises a hydrocarbon component and a co-solvent, and the polar structures comprise an ionic liquid. The ionic liquid comprises a halometallate anion and a cation which is at least slightly soluble in the hydrocarbon component or in the co-solvent. The micro-emulsion can optionally include a surfactant, and a catalyst promoter. The co-solvent has a polarity greater than the polarity of the hydrocarbon, and the co-solvent is miscible in the hydrocarbon.

A method of controlling a hydrocarbon conversion process is described. The method involves introducing a reactant into a reaction zone containing an ionic liquid catalyst. The reaction zone has at least two zones. The mass transfer resistance in the second zone is greater than the mass transfer resistance in the first zone.