Review and Perspectives for Effective Solutions to Grand Challenges of Energy and Fuels Technologies via Novel Deep Eutectic Solvents

Abstract

Sustainable technologies applied to energy-related applications should develop a pivotal role over the next decades. Therefore, the development of new materials for old processes has merged as a central research line lately. Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have been recently considered alternative and economic task-specific solvents for many chemical and environmental processes. The low-cost production of DESs production from natural sources and their tunable properties, such as neat null toxicity and biodegradability, make these solvents suitable candidates for various processes within the green chemistry framework. Considering the millions of possible DES combinations yet to be explored, a detailed review of DES research’s current status that can elaborate on the structure–property relationship is an essential task to identify the missing links and strong points on DES research. Thus, this review work focuses on the recent research efforts on the utilization of DES on chemical processes, with the purpose of elucidation on gas capture/separation, fuel desulfurization, biodiesel production, and water treatment processes and provides a deeper understanding on outstanding scientific questions and identifies promising new research directions that involve DESs.