Micelles in ionic liquids: Aggregation behavior of alkyl poly(ethyleneglycol)-ethers in 1-butyl-3-methyl-imidazolium type ionic liquids

Abstract

The formation of nonionic surfactant micelles in ionic liquids is clearly evidenced for the first time using tensiometry, dynamic light scattering, and small-angle neutron scattering measurements. Changing the anion X- in a series of 1-butyl-3-methyl-imidazolium X- (with X- = BF4-, PF6-, and Tf2N -) allows tuning of the micelle size and the aggregation number (see picture; γ = surface tension). (Graph Presented). © 2006 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.