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Updated: Feb 16, 2026

From Molecules to Materials: Engineering New Ionic Liquid Crystals Through Halogen Bonding
Published on: March 24, 2018
Charge Transport and Phase Behavior of Imidazolium-Based Ionic Liquid Crystals from Fully Atomistic Simulations
Michael J Quevillon1, Jonathan K Whitmer2
1Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA. mquevill@nd.edu.
Abstract:
Ionic liquid crystals occupy an intriguing middle ground between room-temperature ionic liquids and mesostructured liquid crystals. Here, we examine a non-polarizable, fully atomistic model of the 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium nitrate family using molecular dynamics in the constant pressure-constant temperature ensemble. These materials exhibit a distinct "smectic" liquid phase, characterized by layers formed by the molecules, which separate the ionic and aliphatic moieties. In particular, we discuss the implications this layering may have for electrolyte applications.
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