Many Protic Ionic Liquids Mediate Hydrocarbon-Solvent\nInteractions and Promote Amphiphile Self-Assembly

Abstract

A large number of protic ionic liquids (PILs) have been found to mediate solvent−hydrocarbon interactions and\npromote amphiphile self-assembly. Hexagonal, cubic, and lamellar lyotropic liquid crystalline phases were observed\nin PIL−hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide systems. The driving force for the formation of the self-assembled\naggregate structures has been attributed to an entropic contribution to the free energy of association, analogous to the\nhydrophobic effect in water. The specific aggregate structures formed depend upon the cationic and anionic components\nof the PIL and their interactions with the amphiphiles.