INTRODUCTION TO IONIC LIQUIDS Innovation Through New Materials What Makes an Ionic Liquid, an Ionic Liquid? What Can These Unique Materials Do - A Brief Overview How Do We Go about Understanding Ionic Liquids? STRUCTURE OF IONIC LIQUID FORMING IONS Crystal Formation and How to Avoid It (Thermodynamics of Solids, Liquids and Melting) Avoiding Efficient Packing of Ions - Bulky, Rigid and Low Symmetry Ions Electrostatic Forces and How to Minimize Them (Shielding and Charge Delocalization) Other Types of Ions (Metal-Based Ions, Polymeric Ions etc.) Protic Ionic Liquids Further Reading STRUCTURE OF IONIC LIQUIDS Introduction - Evidence for Structuring in Ionic Liquids at Various Length Scales; Ionicity Experimental Probes of Structure Simulation Approaches to Understanding Structure Further Reading SYNTHESIS OF IONIC LIQUIDS Introduction Approaches to Synthesis (Quaternisation/Alkylation, Metathesis, Anion Exchange, Proton Exchange, etc.) Purification: Challenges and Methods (Halide Impurities, Proton Impurities, etc.; Re-Crystallization, Micro-Filtration, Anion-Exchange Resin, etc.) Structure and Purity Analysis (NMR, MS, etc.) Further Reading PHYSICAL AND THERMAL PROPERTIES Introduction - What Properties are Important? Thermal Properties (Melting, Liquid crystal Formation, Decomposition) Transport Properties and their Inter-Relationships (Viscosity, Conductivity, Diffusion, Walden Plot, etc.) Properties of Ionic Liquid Mixtures Further Reading SOLVENT PROPERTIES AND SYNTHETIC APPLICATIONS OF IONIC LIQUIDS Introduction - Solvency, Intermolecular Forces and Polarisability Synthetic Chemistry in Ionic Liquids - Selected Examples Liquid-Liquid Phase Equilibrium (Solvent Extraction/Separation, Water/Ionic Liquid Mixing and De-Mixing) Biomass Dissolution and Processing (Cellulose, Keratin, etc.) Gas Solubility and Applications (CO2, SO2, O2, etc.) Further Reading ELECTROCHEMISTRY OF, AND IN, IONIC LIQUIDS Introduction Cyclic Voltammetry (Reference Electrodes, Electrochemical Window, etc.) Electro-Deposition of Metals Electrosynthesis in Ionic Liquids Further Reading DEVICE APPLICATIONS Introduction Batteries (Li-Ion, Metal-Air, etc.) Fuel Cells Dye Sensitized Solar Cells Supercapacitors Actuators Further Reading BIOTECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS Biocompatible Ionic Liquids Ionic Liquids from Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients Biomolecule Stabilisation (Proteins, DNA, RNA) Further Reading CONCLUSIONS/FUTURE DIRECTIONS APPENDIX Glossary of Ions, Their Structure and Nomenclature (including acronyms) Anions Cations