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Phase behaviour and aggregate structures of the surface-active ionic liquid [BMIm][AOT] in water
Yunxiao Zhang1, Joshua B Marlow2, Kathleen Wood3
1School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Journal of Colloid and Interface Science
|August 15, 2023
Summary
Adding water to the surface-active ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium 1,4-bis-2-ethylhexylsulfosuccinate ([BMIm][AOT]) transforms its sponge-like nanostructure into lamellar and then vesicular phases. This study reveals the phase transitions of [BMIm][AOT] with increasing water content.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Physical Chemistry
- Soft Matter Physics
Background:
- Surface-active ionic liquids (SAILs) exhibit unique nanostructures crucial for various applications.
- [BMIm][AOT] possesses a sponge-like bulk nanostructure with percolating polar and apolar domains.
- The influence of water on the nanostructure of [BMIm][AOT] requires detailed investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of water content on the nanostructure of [BMIm][AOT].
- To elucidate the phase transitions occurring in [BMIm][AOT]-water mixtures.
- To understand the behavior and mobility of water molecules within the ionic liquid nanostructure.
Main Methods:
- Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) were utilized to probe nanostructure.
- Polarizing optical microscopy (POM) provided insights into the structural organization.
- Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) assessed thermal transitions and water mobility.
Main Results:
- SAILs transition from sponge-like to lamellar and then vesicular phases with increasing water content.
- Water molecules are observed to be supercooled within the lamellar phase.
- A novel series of transitions from inverse sponge to lamellar to vesicles was identified for [BMIm][AOT] upon water dilution.
Conclusions:
- Water acts as a structure-directing agent in [BMIm][AOT], inducing significant nanostructural changes.
- The observed phase transitions are dependent on water concentration.
- This study provides fundamental insights into the self-assembly behavior of SAILs with varying water content.
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