Ionic liquid-carbon hybrid material for toxic gas removal: A sustainable approach for environmental cleanup

[Display omitted] •Hybridizing carbon with 1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazolium iodide (1D3MIMI) significantly enhanced SO2 removal process.•DFT study revealed potential interaction sites and adsorption energies of SO2 on 1D3MIMI @GAC.•SO2 removal process encompasses, in-situ synthesis of new IL 1D3MIMI3 in the carbon matrix (first report).•Single crystal XRD, NMR and UV–Vis studies validated the structure of 1D3MIMI3.•This work demonstrated real-world applicability by removing high SO2 concentrations (1500 ppm). SO2 emissions pose a significant threat to the environment and human health particularly pose a significant effect to male reproductive system, necessitating development of efficient methods for SO2 scrubbing from industrial effluents and exhaust gases. This study investigates the synthesis, characterization, and application of ionic liquid impregnated carbon (IL@GAC) for the removal of high concentration noxious gas SO2 from air. In present study, ILs namely 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide, 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, 1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazolium iodide (1D3MIMI), choline acetate, and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate were impregnated with carbon for effective removal of SO2. The synthesized IL@GAC was characterized using XRD, SEM, FTIR, and UV–Vis for insights into their structural and chemical properties. Adsorption experiments with SO2 were conducted by considering the field conditions to evaluate the materials’ performance. Among 5 ionic liquids, 1D3MIMI showed the best removal efficiency against 1500 ppm SO2 at RH (65 ± 5 %). Furthermore, in this study, a novel method was also developed for the synthesis of new ionic liquid 1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazoliumtriiodide (1D3MIMI3) from the reaction of SO2 with 1D3MIMI, which is hitherto unknown. The SO2 behaviour on 1D3MIMI@GAC was investigated by using DFT to understand the mechanism and calculate adsorption energies. Stability of 1D3MIMI3 was investigated through DFT analysis. The detailed characterization of 1D3MIMI3 was carried out by SCXRD, NMR and UV studies. To the best of author’s knowledge, this ionic liquid 1D3MIMI3 is reported for the first time. This study not only advances the development of efficient SO2 removal technologies but also highlights a novel approach for synthesis of 1D3MIMI3. The findings presented herein have significant implications for industrial and environmental protection efforts with an aim to enhance the cleanliness and healthiness of the environment for c