Self-assembly of a nonionic surfactant at the graphite/ionic liquid interface.
In this study, we demonstrate by AFM imaging that nonionic surfactants self-assemble into hemicylindrical aggregates at the interface between graphite and the room temperature ionic liquid ethylammonium nitrate. Like aqueous systems, surfactant first adsorbs in a tail-to-tail monolayer arrangement along one of the three symmetry axes of graphite, templating subsequent self-assembly into adsorbed hemicylinders. Longer surfactant tails and higher concentrations are required to produce hemicylindrical aggregates in the ionic liquid than in aqueous solutions.
Atkin
Rob
R
School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia. r.atkin@chem.usyd.edu.au
Warr
Gregory G
GG