Ethylene Carbonate: The "magic solvent" of green chemistry

Introduction

In the vast world of chemistry, there is a compound called Ethylene Carbonate (EC), which is known as the "magic solvent" of green chemistry due to its unique chemical properties and wide range of applications. This article will take you into the world of vinyl carbonate and explore its mystery and charm.

EC's "Past and present life"

Ethylene Carbonate, whose chemical formula is C₃H₄O₃, is a colorless transparent liquid with a slight ether-like odor. It has a melting point of 35-38℃, a boiling point of 243-244℃, and a density of about 1.321g/mL. The EC preparation process is very green and efficient. It can be made simply by reacting ethanol with carbon dioxide, without the use of any toxic or expensive catalysts. This preparation method can not only greatly reduce environmental pollution, but also significantly reduce production costs, and lay a solid foundation for the sustainable development of the chemical industry.¹

The "magic" characteristics of EC

(1) Stability and safety

Ethylene Carbonate is stable at room temperature, non-flammable and explosive, low toxicity, and harmless to the human body and the environment. This makes it widely used in chemical synthesis, pharmaceutical, textile, and other fields.

(2) Good solubility

As an organic solvent with excellent properties, Ethylene Carbonate can dissolve a variety of polymers, such as nitrocellulose, cellulose acetate, polyvinyl acetate, etc. Compared with traditional organic solvents, it has lower toxicity and volatility and is safer and more reliable. Its solubility is good, not only can dissolve organic matter, but also can dissolve inorganic substances, such as ferric chloride, mercury chloride, heavy metal chloride, and so on. This makes it widely used in chemical synthesis, pharmaceutical, textile, and other fields.²

(3) Reversible C-LiC₆ reaction

Ethylene Carbonate plays an important role in lithium-ion batteries. It can form a stable compound LiC₆ with lithium ions, to achieve reversible insertion and removal of lithium ions. This property makes it an important component of lithium-ion battery electrolytes, helping to improve battery performance and safety.

"Magic" applications

(1) lithium-ion battery electrolyte

As an important component of lithium-ion battery electrolyte, Ethylene Carbonate can improve the cycle performance and safety of the battery. With the popularity of electric vehicles, smartphones, and other electronic products, its market demand is growing.

(2) Intermediates of organic synthesis

Ethylene Carbonate plays an important role in organic synthesis. It can be used as a synthetic intermediate of many organic compounds, such as furazolidone, fiber finishing agent, etc. These compounds are widely used in medicine, pesticide, textile, and other fields.3

(3) Environmentally friendly coatings and inks

Ethylene Carbonate has good solubility and stability and can be used as a solvent for environmentally friendly coatings and inks. Compared with traditional organic solvents, it has lower toxicity and better environmental performance, which meets the requirements of green chemistry in modern society.

(4) Water glass slurry

Ethylene Carbonate can also be used to prepare pollution-free water glass system slurry. This slurry has a wide range of application prospects in the construction industry, such as the preparation of concrete, mortar, and other building materials.⁴

"Green" prospects

With the global attention to environmental protection and sustainable development, green chemistry has become an important direction of chemical research. As a kind of environment-friendly green chemical, vinyl carbonate has broad application prospects and market potential. In the future, with the advancement of technology and the expansion of application fields, vinyl carbonate is expected to play an important role in more fields and contribute to the sustainable development of human society.⁵

Conclusion

With its unique chemical properties and wide application fields, ethylene carbonate has become a "magic solvent" in green chemistry. It not only plays an important role in the fields of lithium-ion batteries, organic synthesis, and environmental protection coatings but also provides new ideas and methods for the sustainable development of human society. Let's hope that vinyl carbonate can show more "magic" charm in the future!

Refences

[1].Xing, L.; Zheng, X.; Schroeder, M.; Alvarado, J.; von Wald Cresce, A.; Xu, K.; Li, Q.; Li, W., Deciphering the ethylene carbonate–propylene carbonate mystery in Li-ion batteries. Accounts of chemical research 2018, 51 ;(2), 282-289.

[2].Sloop, S. E.; Pugh, J. K.; Wang, S.; Kerr, J. B.; Kinoshita, K., Chemical reactivity of PF 5 and LiPF6 in ethylene carbonate/dimethyl carbonate solutions. Electrochemical and Solid-State Letters 2001, 4 (4), A42.

[3].Borodin, O.; Smith, G. D., LiTFSI structure and transport in ethylene carbonate from molecular dynamics simulations. The Journal of Physical Chemistry B 2006, 110 (10), 4971-4977.

[4].Zhang, Y.; Chen, B.; Zhang, Y.; Qin, L.; Liu, B.; Ni, B.; Gao, G., Water-enriched poly (ionic liquid) s: highly-efficient microreactors for the hydrolysis of ethylene carbonate. Green chemistry 2018, 20 (7), 1594-1601.

[5].Aurbach, D.; Markovsky, B.; Shechter, A.; Ein‐Eli, Y.; Cohen, H., A comparative study of synthetic graphite and Li electrodes in electrolyte solutions based on ethylene carbonate‐dimethyl carbonate mixtures. Journal of the Electrochemical Society 1996, 143 (12), 3809.