BACKGROUNDIonic liquids have become potential absorbents to treat exhausted gases containing NH3, which threatens the living environment of human beings. RESULTSIn this study, 10 kinds of protic and conventional ILs were synthesized and characterized and their densities, viscosities and thermal decomposition temperatures measured. The NH3 solubility in ILs from the vapor liquid equilibrium (VLE) experiments revealed that the chain length of cations had little influence on the NH3 solubility of the protic ILs because of the high NH3 capacities in protic ILs resulting from protic hydrogen atom compared with conventional ILs. The 2-H atom on the cation influenced the NH3 solubility in both protic and conventional ILs with different trends as the pressure was increased. Considering the effect of anions with the same cation [Bim](+), the order of NH3 solubility in protic ILs was [Bim][NTf2] > [Bim][SCN] > [Bim][NO3]. Dynamic absorption of NH3 in [Eim][NTf2] preliminarily revealed that the absorption was fast under ambient pressure and through 5 cycles of absorption and desorption, the NH3 absorption ability remained stable. CONCLUSIONSThe relationship between the NH3 solubility and the structures of both protic and conventional ILs was revealed, indicating the protic ILs as an alternative material for the treatment of NH3-containing exhaust gases. (c) 2017 Society of Chemical Industry