From 1998, as the field grew at a faster than exponential rate with the founding of
QUILL, Ken led an international community on ionic liquids research and was coined
as the Father of Ionic Liquids, even though he did not invent them. Ken also had an
early appreciation that ionic liquids by default could have impurities easily derived
from their preparation. These impurities dramatically changed the properties of ionic
liquids, so scientists had to be very careful and good-quality papers (especially
physicochemical ones) would have to include at least three types of characterisations
of ionic liquids, especially halide and water content by Karl Fischer titration.
Ken was very generous in assisting career development to his colleagues and
friends. He would write very kind references, and even when he assisted in writing
papers and gave good advice, he would allow his students to be corresponding
authors if it could help their career.
Ken authored more than 400 papers and wrote and edited 14 books. Ken was
named as inventor on more than 50 patents.
Ken worked hard to the end despite illness, systematically moving his students
towards successful theses, so for instance, during his last meeting he was working
on a neutron paper in collaboration with ISIS, Rutherford.
In 2006, QUILL was awarded the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and
Further Education.
Ken was very proud of meeting the Royal Family and talking to them.
In 2011, he came first in the UK in a global listing of the 100 Top Chemists of the
Past Decade. He was ranked 46 overall in the world. Dr. (now Prof.) John D. Holbrey,
xii
Dedication to Prof. Kenneth “Ken” Richard Seddon
QUILL, Ken led an international community on ionic liquids research and was coined
as the Father of Ionic Liquids, even though he did not invent them. Ken also had an
early appreciation that ionic liquids by default could have impurities easily derived
from their preparation. These impurities dramatically changed the properties of ionic
liquids, so scientists had to be very careful and good-quality papers (especially
physicochemical ones) would have to include at least three types of characterisations
of ionic liquids, especially halide and water content by Karl Fischer titration.
Ken was very generous in assisting career development to his colleagues and
friends. He would write very kind references, and even when he assisted in writing
papers and gave good advice, he would allow his students to be corresponding
authors if it could help their career.
Ken authored more than 400 papers and wrote and edited 14 books. Ken was
named as inventor on more than 50 patents.
Ken worked hard to the end despite illness, systematically moving his students
towards successful theses, so for instance, during his last meeting he was working
on a neutron paper in collaboration with ISIS, Rutherford.
In 2006, QUILL was awarded the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and
Further Education.
Ken was very proud of meeting the Royal Family and talking to them.
In 2011, he came first in the UK in a global listing of the 100 Top Chemists of the
Past Decade. He was ranked 46 overall in the world. Dr. (now Prof.) John D. Holbrey,
xii
Dedication to Prof. Kenneth “Ken” Richard Seddon