blue ×), formate (HCO 2 − , orange ■ ), hydrogen sulfate (HSO 4 − , yellow-green ▲), and thiocyanate (SCN − , pink +) sourced from unpublished data and ref 28. Note, data points for zero carbon atoms in (B) correspond to the NH 4 [X]salt.

In recent years, a number of different technologies have been proposed for use in reflective displays. One of the most appealing applications of a reflective display is electronic paper, which combines the desirable viewing characteristics of conventional printed paper with the ability to manipulate the displayed information electronically. Electronic paper based on the electrophoretic motion of particles inside small capsules has been demonstrated and commercialized; but the response speed of such a system is rather slow, limited by the velocity of the particles. Recently, we have demonstrated that electrowetting is an attractive technology for the rapid manipulation of liquids on a micrometre scale. Here we show that electrowetting can also be used to form the basis of a reflective display that is significantly faster than electrophoretic displays, so that video content can be displayed. Our display principle utilizes the voltage-controlled movement of a coloured oil film adjacent to a white substrate. The reflectivity and contrast of our system approach those of paper. In addition, we demonstrate a colour concept, which is intrinsically four times brighter than reflective liquid-crystal displays and twice as bright as other emerging technologies. The principle of microfluidic motion at low voltages is applicable in a wide range of electro-optic devices.

Ionic liquids' (ILs) remarkable and tunable physicochemical properties mean they have distinct performance advantages over conventional solvents in many settings. However, the use of ILs in surface-dependent processes (e.g. electrodeposition, heterogeneous catalysis, dye solar cells) is hindered by the lack of a systematic understanding of IL interfacial structure. In this Perspective, we highlight recent experiments which show interfacial IL nanostructure is a consequence of both surface-specific and bulk liquid interactions. These results enable us to develop molecular design rules for controlling interfacial IL behavior.

The bulk structure of the two oldest ionic liquids (ILs), ethylammonium nitrate (EAN) and ethanolammonium nitrate (EtAN), is elucidated using neutron diffraction. The spectra were modelled using empirical potential structure refinement (EPSR). The results demonstrate that EAN exhibits a long-range structure of solvophobic origin, similar to a bicontinuous microemulsion or disordered L(3)-sponge phase, but with a domain size of only 1 nm. The alcohol (-OH) moiety in EtAN interferes with solvophobic association between cation alkyl chains resulting in small clusters of ions, rather than an extended network.