Influence of the Anion on the Electrodeposition of Cobalt from Imidazolium Ionic Liquids

Cyclic voltammetry and absorption spectrophotometry were used to examine the complex formation of cobalt(II) in the ionic liquids 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide . In , cobalt(II) is complexed as at concentrations less than . Cyclic voltammograms show that cobalt cannot be electrodeposited at these concentrations. However, cobalt metal can be electrodeposited at concentrations above the threshold concentration of . In the ionic liquid there is no threshold concentration for electrodeposition due to the absence of .