title: Effect of cosolvents on the self-assembly of a non-ionic polyethylene oxide-polypropylene oxide-polyethylene oxide block copolymer in the protic ionic liquid ethylammonium nitrate.
abstract: The effect of water and methanol on the self-assembled structures formed by the polyethylene oxide-polypropylene oxide-polyethylene oxide block copolymer Pluronic P123 in ethylammonium nitrate was investigated by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Two ternary phase diagrams were established. The addition of water had only a minor effect on the liquid crystal structures, however methanol had a significant effect, which was attributed to methanol being a good solvent for both the PEO and PPO blocks of the polymer. No lyotropic liquid crystal phases were retained when methanol reached 25 wt%. The phase behaviour did not change significantly over the temperature range from 25 to 45°C.
authors.affiliation: PFPC, School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia; CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering, Bag 10, Clayton South MDC, VIC 3169, Australia.
authors.forename: Zhengfei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering, Bag 10, Clayton South MDC, VIC 3169, Australia; School of Applied Sciences, College of Science, Engineering and Health, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, VIC 3001, Australia.
authors.forename: Tamar L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Greaves
authors.affiliation: PFPC, School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia; CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering, Bag 10, Clayton South MDC, VIC 3169, Australia. Electronic address: rcaruso@unimelb.edu.au.
authors.forename: Rachel A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Caruso
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering, Bag 10, Clayton South MDC, VIC 3169, Australia; School of Applied Sciences, College of Science, Engineering and Health, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, VIC 3001, Australia. Electronic address: calum.drummond@rmit.edu.au.
authors.forename: Calum J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Drummond
keywords: Cosolvent effects; Lyotropic liquid crystals; Protic ionic liquid; Self-assembly