Two new amino acid ionic liquids (AAILs) [C(n)mim][Thr] (n = 2, 4) (1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium threonine salt) were prepared and characterized. The values of density, surface tension and refractive index of the ILs were measured at T = (288.15 to 328.15) K and the values of the molar surface Gibbs free energy, g, were calculated. Using the molar surface Gibbs free energy, the traditional Eotvos equation was improved to be a new Eotvos equation. It is found that the slope of the new Eotvos equation is the molar surface entropy of the ILs and the intercept is the molar surface enthalpy which is a temperature-independent constant. With the help of the refractive index and the molar surface Gibbs free energy, an equation to predict surface tension of the ILs was derived. Using this equation, predicted values of surface tension with the corresponding experimental ones are highly correlated and extremely similar. According to a new scale of polarity for ILs, the polarity of ionic liquids [C(n)mim][Thr] (n = 2, 4) was estimated. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.