RUI: thermally robust organophosphorus ionic liquids for high-temperature applications

The National Science Foundation Division of Chemistry awarded $300,000 to The Research Foundation For The State University of New York on September 1, 2026, under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences program (CFDA 47.049) to support development of thermally robust organophosphorus ionic liquids at SUNY Oswego through August 31, 2029.

Professor Arsalan Mirjafari of SUNY Oswego's Department of Chemistry is designing phosphonium-based ionic liquids engineered to remain stable and functional above 300 degrees Celsius. The project synthesizes new tetraarylphosphonium ionic liquids using a modular synthetic strategy to control physicochemical properties, testing the hypothesis that pairing cations exhibiting strong intramolecular charge transfer with thermally stable anions yields materials suited to extreme-temperature applications. Prior preliminary work demonstrated that triphenylphosphonium-based ionic liquids retained thermo-oxidative stability at 300 degrees Celsius for 96 hours in air. The materials developed are candidates for thermal energy storage, temperature-responsive applications, and potential use in nuclear power generation and renewable energy sectors where current organic materials lack sufficient thermal stability.

The project is designated a Research at Undergraduate Institutions (RUI) award and centers undergraduate training as a core activity. Undergraduate students receive merit-based summer research support to lower financial barriers to research participation and support STEM workforce development aligned with regional industry needs. Performance occurs in Oswego, New York.

Abstract

With this award, professor arsalan mirjafari of the department of chemistry at the state university of new york (suny) at oswego is developing new classes of phosphonium-based ionic liquids designed to remain stable and functional at temperatures above 300 ?c. Organic materials that can operate reliably at such high temperatures are needed across many sectors, yet current options are limited by thermal instability. The salts developed in this project are candidates for thermal energy storage and as temperature-responsive materials, with potential relevance to nuclear power generation and renewable energy. The project is carried out at a primarily undergraduate institution (PUI) and supports undergraduate training as a central activity. Undergraduate students receive merit-based summer research support, lowering financial barriers that have limited student participation in research. These efforts contribute to training a future stem workforce aligned with regional industry. The research is directed at the rational design of organophosphorus, PI-conjugated ionic liquid systems that combine high thermal stability with tunable thermophysical and photophysical properties. The central hypothesis is that pairing cations that exhibit strong intramolecular charge transfer and efficient molecular packing with thermally stable anions yields materials suited to extreme-temperature applications. This hypothesis builds on published preliminary results in which a set of triphenylphosphonium-based ionic liquids retained thermo-oxidative stability at 300 ?c for 96 hours in air, and in which empirical structure?property correlations were established through combined thermal, thermodynamic, and crystallographic analysis. There are three objectives: (i) synthesizing a series of new tetraarylphosphonium ionic liquids through a modular synthetic strategy that allows precise control of physicochemical properties; (II) establishing quantitative structure?property relationships through thermal, thermodynamic, photophysical, and crystallographic characterization; and (III) developing predictive models for the design of materials with targeted operational temperature ranges. The work generates fundamental knowledge on thermally robust organic-ION materials and establishes design principles for high-temperature applications. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.