Diffusion Coefficients of Ferrocene in Composite Materials Containing Ambient Temperature Ionic Liquids

Marek Kosmulski*, Robert A. Osteryoung*, and Malgorzata Ciszkowska**

*  Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-8204
** Department of Chemistry, Brooklyn College, The City University of New York, Brooklyn, New York 11210-2889

Abstract:

Diffusion coefficients of ferrocene in composite materials composed of the ambient temperature ionic liquids 1,2-dimethyl, 3-(1-propyl) imidazolium tetrafluoroborate (DMPI BF₄) or 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (EMI BF₄) and hexafluoropropylene – vinylidine fluoride copolymer were estimated using chronoamperometry.  The values of D obtained with the composite materials based on DMPI BF₄ ranged from 1x10^-13 to 2.5x10^-12 m²s^-1 and depended on the composition and pretreatment of the composite material.  The latter value is equal to the diffusion coefficient of ferrocene in liquid DMPI BF₄.  The values obtained with the composite materials based on EMI BF₄ ranged from 2x10^-13 to 9x10^-12 m²s^-1 and they are lower by a factor of more than four than that of ferrocene in liquid EMI BF₄.