title: Evidence of self-aggregation of cationic surfactants in a choline chloride+glycerol deep eutectic solvent.
abstract: Based on fluorescence probe, electrical conductivity, surface tension, small-angle X-ray/dynamic light scattering, and transmission electron microscopy experiments, we present the first clear lines of evidence for self-aggregation of cationic surfactants of the n-alkyltrimethylammonium family within an archetypical deep eutectic solvent comprised of a 1:2 molar mixture of choline chloride and glycerol. Estimated thermodynamic parameters suggest this self-aggregation process to be less entropically driven than that in water. These novel water-free self-assemblies might serve as dynamic soft templates to direct the growth of size- or shape-tailored nanoparticles within water-restricted media.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, 110016 (India).
authors.forename: Mahi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pal
authors.affiliation: Structural Biology Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), 1050 Brussels (Belgium).
authors.forename: Ranjan K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, 110016 (India). sipandey@chemistry.iitd.ac.in.
authors.forename: Siddharth
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pandey
mesh_terms: D002412:Cations / Q000737:chemistry*; D002794:Choline / Q000737:chemistry*; D005990:Glycerol / Q000737:chemistry*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry*; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D002412:Cations; D012997:Solvents; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D002794:Choline; D005990:Glycerol
keywords: aggregation; cationic surfactants; deep eutectic solvents; self-assembly; soft matter