Different ionic liquids (ILs) have been checked as potential ammonia absorbents at near-ambient temperatures and atmospheric pressure. In a first stage, the task-specific ILs 1-2(-hydroxyethyl)-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate [EtOHmim][BF4], choline bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide [choline][NTf2], tris(2-hydroxyethyl)methyl-ammonium methylsulfate [MTEOA][MeOSO3] and 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide [EtOHmim][DCA] were selected as potential high-capacity ammonia solvents by quantum-chemical COSMO-RS analysis. Then, they were experimentally tested considering both thermodynamic and kinetic aspects. Absorption kinetics was described by a phenomenological diffusion model. The desorption curves were also obtained. Finally, an efficiency criterion based on absorption-desorption cycles was established to simultaneously consider the kinetics and thermodynamics of the phenomena for the solvent selection. As a result, we propose a set of ILs with adequate properties to be used as absorbents for ammonia separation. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.