Dialkylimidazolium ionic liquids as electrolytes for hydrogen production from water electrolysis

Imidazolium ionic liquids (ILs) such as BMI · BF4 and BMI · PF6 were studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV). BMI · BF4 was used as an electrolyte for hydrogen production through water electrolysis. The system using this ionic liquid in a conventional electrochemical cell with platinum electrodes at room temperature and atmospheric pressure gives current densities (j) higher than 20 mA cm−2 and efficiencies of more than 94.5%. The catalytic activity of the electrode surface was not affected during the electrolyses mainly due to the chemical stability of the IL.