Electrochemical modulation of the flammability of ionic liquid fuels

Abstract

A method, a system, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium for controlling flammability of a fuel. The method includes applying a voltage across a nonvolatile ionic liquid to convert the nonvolatile ionic liquid into a flammable liquid; and removing the applied voltage across the nonvolatile ionic liquid to revert the flammable liquid back to the nonvolatile ionic liquid.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for controlling flammability of a fuel, the method comprising:
 applying a voltage across a nonvolatile ionic liquid to convert the nonvolatile ionic liquid into a flammable liquid; and   removing the applied voltage across the nonvolatile ionic liquid to revert the flammable liquid back to the nonvolatile ionic liquid.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the nonvolatile ionic liquid is a room-temperature ionic liquid. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the nonvolatile ionic liquid is an imidazolium based nonvolatile ionic liquid. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the nonvolatile ionic liquid produces and releases 1-methylimidazole on application of the voltage across the nonvolatile ionic liquid. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the nonvolatile ionic liquid produces and releases 1-ethyl-3-methyl-on application of the voltage across the nonvolatile ionic liquid. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the nonvolatile ionic liquid produces and releases 1-butyl-3-methyl-on application of the voltage across the nonvolatile ionic liquid. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 applying at least 6 volts to the nonvolatile ionic liquid to convert the nonvolatile ionic liquid into the flammable liquid.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 applying 6 volts to 40 volts to the nonvolatile ionic liquid to convert the nonvolatile ionic liquid into the flammable liquid.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing the flammable liquid for use as a jet fuel, propellant, or alternate fuel.   
     
     
         10 . A system for controlling flammability of a fuel, the system comprising:
 a nonvolatile ionic liquid;   a power supply configured to supply a voltage across the nonvolatile ionic liquid; and   a processor configured to control the voltage across the nonvolatile ionic liquid to convert the nonvolatile ionic liquid into a flammable liquid by applying the voltage across the nonvolatile liquid and to revert the flammable liquid back to the nonvolatile ionic liquid by removing the applied voltage across the nonvolatile ionic liquid.   
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein the nonvolatile ionic liquid is a room-temperature ionic liquid. 
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein the nonvolatile ionic liquid is an imidazolium based nonvolatile ionic liquid. 
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein the nonvolatile ionic liquid produces and releases one or more of 1-ethyl-3-methyl- and 1-butyl-3-methyl-on application of the voltage across the nonvolatile ionic liquid. 
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to applying at least 6 volts to the nonvolatile ionic liquid to convert the nonvolatile ionic liquid into the flammable liquid. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to apply 6 volts to 40 volts to the nonvolatile ionic liquid to convert the nonvolatile ionic liquid into the flammable liquid. 
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium (CRM) storing computer program code executed by a computer processor that performs a process for controlling flammability of a fuel, the processing comprising:
 applying a voltage across a nonvolatile ionic liquid to convert the nonvolatile ionic liquid into a flammable liquid; and   removing the voltage across the nonvolatile ionic liquid to revert the flammable liquid back to the nonvolatile ionic liquid.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 16 , wherein the nonvolatile ionic liquid is a room-temperature ionic liquid. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 16 , wherein the nonvolatile ionic liquid produces and releases one or more of 1-ethyl-3-methyl- and 1-butyl-3-methyl-on application of the voltage across the nonvolatile ionic liquid. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 applying at least 6 volts to the nonvolatile ionic liquid to convert the nonvolatile ionic liquid into the flammable liquid from a power source.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 applying 6 volts to 40 volts to the nonvolatile ionic liquid to convert the nonvolatile ionic liquid into the flammable liquid.