ePubs

The open archive for STFC research publications

Full Record Details

Persistent URL http://purl.org/net/epubs/work/64623
Record Status Checked
Record Id 64623
Title The Smallest Amphiphiles: Nanostructure in Protic Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids with Short Alkyl Groups
Contributors
Abstract Room-temperature ionic liquids (ILs) are low-melting-point organic salts that, until recently, were thought to have homogeneous microstructure. In this work, we investigate nanoscale segregation of short (<C4) alkyl chain ILs using propylammonium nitrate (PAN) and ethylammonium nitrate (EAN). Structure peaks at q ) 0.54 Å-1 for PAN and at q ) 0.66 Å-1 for EAN, corresponding to Bragg spacings (D* ) 2ð/qmax) of 11.6 and 9.7 Å respectively, provide the first experimental evidence of nanoscale heterogeneity for ILs with alkyl chains less than C4. The observation that these ILs are not optically birefringent and the fits obtained suggest a disordered, locally smectic or sponge-like structure. Solvophobic interaction between alkyl groups is the most important factor for the production of nanoscale heterogeneities, but electrostatic and hydrogen bonding attractions between the amine nitrogen and the nitrate anion will also play a role.
Organisation ISIS , ISIS-LOQ , STFC
Keywords
Funding Information
Related Research Object(s):
Licence Information:
Language English (EN)
Type Details URI(s) Local file(s) Year
Journal Article J Phys Chem B 112, no. 14 (2008): 4164-4166. doi:10.1021/jp801190u 2008