Kaija Põhako-Esko
Ionic Liquids at IMS Lab
Ionic liquids are salts, which are liquid at ambient temperature. Ionic liquids have been in the focus of intense research for more than twenty years due to their extraordinary physico-chemical properties like negligible vapour pressure, ionic conductivity, high thermal stability, broad liquidus range and interesting dissolution capabilities.
Research in the IMS Lab focuses mostly on usage of ionic liquids as electrolytes in electroactive polymers. Long-time experiences in the field have helped us to determine the properties of ionic liquids responsible for high performance of electroactive polymer actuators and sensors. We synthesize and characterize ionic liquids and deep eutectic mixtures with aim to "tailor" the physico-chemical properties of the compounds to be suitable for specific applications. Bicompatibility and biodegradability of ionic liquids are of great importance in our research as potential applications for electroactive polymers include implantable or disposable medical devices, smart prosthesis, soft haptic devices and wearable electronics.
We are part of highly interdisciplinary Intelligent Materials and Systems Lab headed by prof Alvo Aabloo.
Highlights
* Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship "Development of biocompatible ionic electromechanically active polymer actuator/sensor”
Our core team
Kaija Põhako-Esko (research fellow of materials technology)
Fred Elhi (PhD student)
Pille Rinne (PhD student)
Karl Karu (PhD student)
Student projects
We always welcome new motivated students who are interested in ionic liquids to join our team. We offer student projects on the following general topics:
* synthesis and characterization of ionic liquids
* toxicological aspects of ionic liquids
* application of ionic liquids in electroactive polymers
* computational studies of ionic liquids