Understanding and Optimizing Microemulsions with Magnetic Room Temperature Ionic Liquids (MRTILs)

Abstract

Nonaqueous microemulsions containing the magnetic room temperature ionic liquid (MRTIL) bmimFeCl4 as polar phase were studied with respect to their macroscopic phase behavior and structure by means of small angle neutron scattering (SANS). The phase behavior was studied in detail for different alcohols as cosurfactant and different oils as nonpolar phase and mainly by varying the chain length of the used ionic surfactant (CnmimCl with n = 14, 16, 18). In general, phase behavior and structural ordering in the mesophases were found to be comparable to water systems where with increasing content of MRTIL the microemulsions seems to become less and less structured leading to a rough and softer interface with less long-range ordering. The extent of structuring increases with increasing chain length of the surfactant. However, the pure surfactant is not able to form microemulsions and a rather large amount of alcohol is required for stabilization, where the effectiveness of the alcohol increases with increasing chain length of the alcohol. From this comprehensive investigation systematic trends can be deduced in order to formulate correspondingly structured microemulsions with MRTIL as polar phase.

Study on the Conformation of Entrapped Protein inside the Reverse Micellar Confinement Based on the Amino Acid Derived Ionic Liquid

“…Therefore, recent efforts have dedicated on the formulation of cosurfactant‐free microemulsion or RMs with biocompatible excipients. Also, SAILs used so far for preparation of RMs mainly contain imidazolium cations, which might cause environmental hazards when released through waste‐water effluents . Therefore, toxicity and biodegradation remain crucial concerns while dealing with the ILs, and the search for synthesis of more greener ILs in terms of toxicity and biodegradability is growing day by day .…”

Ferro-self-assembly: magnetic and electrochemical adaptation of a multiresponsive zwitterionic metalloamphiphile showing a shape-hysteresis effect

“…Detailed investigations oen rely on small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), which is time-consuming and costly and suffers from poor availability. 27,30,31,[45][46][47] Moreover, SANS is only of limited value for following kinetically fast processes which would be desirable for the live monitoring of structural changes occurring in solution. Optical birefringence is a well-established method to monitor the dynamic response of materials to external elds.…”

Magnetic Microemulsions Stabilized by Alkyltrimethylammonium-Based Magnetic Ionic Liquids Surfactants (MILSs)

“…Last decade, two rather special subclasses of ILs, magnetic ionic liquids (MILs) and magnetic ionic liquids surfactants (MILSs), were generated and received increased attention. − MILs are ILs with magneto-responsivity usually caused by metal complex ions, and MILSs are MILs with surface-active properties that are provided by an alkyl chain usually with ten or more carbon atoms . As molecular liquids, MILs and MILSs have advantages over traditional ferrofluids that usually need a flammable organic carrier fluid.…”

“…More recently, very few attempts have shown that MILs and MILSs are able to formulate magnetic microemulsions (MMEs) as the polar or surfactant component, respectively, and these MMEs exhibit unexpected high magnetic responsiveness and magnetic susceptibility, − thus suggesting promising potential applications based on external magnetic field inspired manipulation, e.g., environment cleanup, water treatment, separation, oil recovery, targeted drug delivery, and so on. However, studies about MMEs are still rather scarce to date.…”