Correlations between density and refractive index Of pure systems of ionic liquids were examined in this work. To this end, the density and refractive index of four 1-n-butyl-3-imidazolium-based ionic liquids were measured at atmospheric pressure and temperature up to 353.2 K. Densities and refractive indices of the ionic liquids investigated are presented as a function of temperature. A group contribution-based equation was modified to calculate the density as a function of temperature. An empirical equation Was used to study the temperature-dependence of refractive index. The Lorentz-Lorenz, Dale-Gladstone, Eykman, Oster, Arago-Biot, and Newton equations, as well as a modified Eykman were used to correlate the relation between the densities and refractive indices of the different ionic liquid systems. The correlations give satisfactory results. The results of this study can add to the newly organized database for ionic liquids and can also be used for various process design calculations. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.