Showing papers on "Lyotropic liquid crystal published in 2010"

Free-standing mesoporous silica films with tunable chiral nematic structures

Abstract: Chirality at the molecular level is found in diverse biological structures, such as polysaccharides, proteins and DNA, and is responsible for many of their unique properties. Introducing chirality into porous inorganic solids may produce new types of materials that could be useful for chiral separation, stereospecific catalysis, chiral recognition (sensing) and photonic materials. Template synthesis of inorganic solids using the self-assembly of lyotropic liquid crystals offers access to materials with well-defined porous structures, but only recently has chirality been introduced into hexagonal mesostructures through the use of a chiral surfactant. Efforts to impart chirality at a larger length scale using self-assembly are almost unknown. Here we describe the development of a photonic mesoporous inorganic solid that is a cast of a chiral nematic liquid crystal formed from nanocrystalline cellulose. These materials may be obtained as free-standing films with high surface area. The peak reflected wavelength of the films can be varied across the entire visible spectrum and into the near-infrared through simple changes in the synthetic conditions. To the best of our knowledge these are the first materials to combine mesoporosity with long-range chiral ordering that produces photonic properties. Our findings could lead to the development of new materials for applications in, for example, tuneable reflective filters and sensors. In addition, this type of material could be used as a hard template to generate other new materials with chiral nematic structures.

Propylammonium Nitrate as a Solvent for Amphiphile Self-Assembly into Micelles, Lyotropic Liquid Crystals, and Microemulsions

Abstract: The phase behavior and self-assembled microstructures of a range of oligo(oxyethylene)-n-alkyl ether (CiEj) surfactants has been investigated in propylammonium nitrate (PAN), a room temperature ionic liquid. Micelles and single-phase microemulsions were all found to form at alkyl chain lengths from dodecyl to octadecyl, and lyotropic liquid crystals formed with hexadecyl chains or longer. Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) shows that self-assembly occurs by solvophobic interactions driving the aggregation of the alkyl chains, but several results indicate that these are weaker in PAN than in water or ethylammonium nitrate, due chiefly to the hydrophobicity of PAN. Longer alkyl chains are needed for lyotropic liquid crystals to form, and higher surfactant concentrations are needed to form a single phase microemulsion. Conductivity shows these microemulsions to be weakly structured, and relatively insensitive to oil or surfactant molecular structure, unlike water-based systems. However, SANS contrast vari...

Liquid crystal-carbon nanotubes mixtures

Abstract: The self-organizing properties of nematic liquid crystals (LCs) can be used to align carbon nanotubes (CNTs) dispersed in them. In the previous paper [P. van der Schoot, V. Popa-Nita, and S. Kralj, J. Phys. Chem. B 112, 4512 (2008)], we have considered the weak anchoring limit of the nematic LC molecules at the nanotube's surface, where the CNT alignment is caused by the anisotropic interfacial tension of the nanotubes in the nematic host fluid. In this paper, we present the theoretical results obtained for strong enough anchoring at the CNT-LC interface for which the nematic ordering around nanotube is apparently distorted. Consequently, relatively strong long-range and anisotropic interactions can emerge within the system. In order to get insight into the impact of LC ordering on the alignment of nanotubes we treat the two mixture components on the same footing and combine Landau-de Gennes free energy for the thermotropic ordering of the liquid crystal and Doi free energy for lyotropic nematic ordering of carbon nanotubes caused by their mutually excluded volume. The phase ordering of the binary mixture is analyzed as a function of the volume fraction of the carbon nanotubes, the strength of coupling, and the temperature. We find that the degree of ordering of the nanorods can be tuned by raising or lowering the temperature or by increasing or decreasing their concentration.

Nanoporous, Bicontinuous Cubic Lyotropic Liquid Crystal Networks via Polymerizable Gemini Ammonium Surfactants

Abstract: New polymerizable gemini ammonium surfactants can be cross-linked in a type I bicontinuous cubic lyotropic liquid crystal phase with water to afford nanoporous polymer membranes with sub-1 nm 3D pores for water nanofiltration applications.

Alignment of carbon nanotubes in thermotropic and lyotropic liquid crystals.

Abstract: The organization of carbon nanotubes is an important but challenging issue. This Minireview focuses on a novel approach based on the use of liquid crystals as host for nanotube dispersion and ordering. With these self-organizing fluids it is possible to control the nanotube orientation on a macroscopic scale, as the orientational order of the liquid crystal, the direction of which can easily be selected and dynamically modulated, is transferred onto embedded carbon nanotubes. Both main classes of liquid crystals, thermotropics and lyotropics, have been used successfully. This reveals an aligning mechanism resulting from the liquid crystallinity per se, independent of specific molecular structures, although these can affect the degree of order and the quality of the tube dispersion. The enormous variety of systems that form liquid crystalline phases provides additional strength and potentialities to the liquid-crystal-based route towards nanotube alignment. The exploration of this new use of liquid crystals has just started, hence we can expect exciting developments in the years to come.

Lyotropic Chromonic Liquid Crystal Semiconductors for Water-Solution Processable Organic Electronics

Abstract: We propose lyotropic chromonic liquid crystals (LCLCs) as a distinct class of materials for organic electronics. In water, the chromonic molecules stack on top of each other into elongated aggregates that form orientationally ordered phases. The aligned aggregated structure is preserved when the material is deposited onto a substrate and dried. The dried LCLC films show a strongly anisotropic electric conductivity of semiconductor type. The field-effect carrier mobility measured along the molecular aggregates in unoptimized films of LCLC V20 is 0.03 cm2 V−1 s−1. Easy processibility, low cost, and high mobility demonstrate the potential of LCLCs for microelectronic applications.

Intercalation of a nonionic surfactant (C10E3) bilayer into a Na-montmorillonite clay.

Abstract: A nonionic surfactant, triethylene glycol mono-n-decyl ether (C10E3), characterized by its lamellar phase state, was introduced in the interlayer of a Na-montmorillonite clay at several concentrations. The synthesized organoclays were characterized by small-angle X-ray scattering in conjunction with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and adsorption isotherms. Experiments showed that a bilayer of C10E3 was intercalated into the interlayer space of the naturally exchanged Na-montmorillonite, resulting in the aggregation of the lyotropic liquid crystal state in the lamellar phase. This behavior strongly differs from previous observations of confinement of nonionic surfactants in clays where the expansion of the interlayer space was limited to two monolayers parallel to the silicate surface and cationic surfactants in clays where the intercalation of organic compounds is introduced into the clay galleries through ion exchange. The confinement of a bilayer of C10E3 nonionic surfactant in clays offers new ...

Tailored Electrochemical Synthesis of 2D-Hexagonal, Lamellar, and Cage-Type Mesostructured Pt Thin Films with Extralarge Periodicity

Abstract: We report the synthesis of mesostructured Pt films with extralarge periodicity from lyotropic liquid crystals consisting of block copolymers (polystyrene-b-polyethylene oxide, PS-b-PEO) on Au substrates by electrochemical deposition. The Pt films with three types of (two-dimensional (2D)-hexagonal, lamellar, and cage-type) mesostructures are successfully synthesized by controlling the compositional ratio between block copolymers and Pt species in precursor solutions. The mesostructured Pt films have high electrochemically active surface areas. The bumpy mesopore surfaces, which reflect the mesopore walls consisting of connected nanoparticles, greatly contribute to the enhancement of the surface areas. The mesopore walls have single crystal domains over 400 nm(2) region proved by the lattice fringes of Pt extending over several nanoparticles.

Thermotropic liquid crystalline drugs.

Abstract: Crystalline solids are characterized by long-range positional and orientational order in three dimensions, whereas amorphous liquids lack long-range order in any dimension. Liquid crystals (mesophases) show structural, mechanical and optical properties intermediate to those of crystalline solids and the amorphous, liquid state of matter. There are two principle types of liquid crystals: thermotropic liquid crystals (TLCs) and lyotropic liquid crystals (LLCs). TLCs can be formed by heating a crystalline solid or by cooling an isotropic melt of a TLC-forming molecule (mesogen). In the first part of this review the types of liquid crystals are defined and classified and the structural properties of mesogens are explained. In the second part, ten case studies of thermotropic mesomorphous drugs and pharmaceutically relevant molecules (arsphenamine, nafoxidine hydrochloride, L-660711, palmitoyl propranolol hydrochloride, penbutolol sulfate, itraconazole hydrochloride, fenoprofen sodium, fenoprofen calcium, ciclosporin and cholesteryl esters) are presented and their thermotropic mesomorphism is described. The review closes with a brief discussion of the unusual properties of drug mesophases and a potential use of drugs and excipients in this fourth state of matter.

Ordered micellar and inverse micellar lyotropic phases

Abstract: In this article we review the ordered micellar and inverse micellar lyotropic liquid-crystalline phases that can be formed by amphiphilic molecules such as lipids and surfactants. We focus first on the self-assembly of amphiphiles into aggregates, and then consider the interfacial curvature and the role of curvature elasticity and packing constraints in determining the allowed structures. We then review the range of ordered micellar and inverse micellar phases that have so far been observed in a variety of surfactant and lipid systems. Finally, we describe certain characteristic properties, such as the epitaxy between phases, and the self-diffusion and electrical conductivity within such ordered micellar phases.

NMR Characterization of the Aggregation State of the Azo Dye Sunset Yellow in the Isotropic Phase

Abstract: The azo dye sunset yellow is known to form lyotropic liquid crystals as a function of both temperature and sample composition. Numerous studies have been performed to investigate the aggregation processes in these liquid crystals; however, less attention has been paid to the nature of the aggregates in the isotropic phase. In this study we employ diffusion nuclear magnetic resonance methods to investigate the hydrodynamic properties of sunset yellow aggregates at a range of concentrations in isotropic solution. The results of these experiments are interpreted in terms of a simple thermodynamic model for aggregation and suggest that the aggregates are comprised of tens to hundreds of monomer units at the concentrations investigated. The results also demonstrate that the average number of molecules per aggregate is a factor of approximately 5 larger than previously reported.

Complex micelles from the self-assembly of coil-rod-coil amphiphilic triblock copolymers in selective solvents

Abstract: We report an extensive simulation study on the spontaneous formation of complex micelles from coil-rod-coil amphiphilic triblock copolymers in dilute solution resulting from solvent selectivity. The amphiphilic molecule is built from one hydrophilic block on each side and a hydrophobic block in the middle. The rigidity of the rod block is introduced by adding a bond-bending potential of the angle among three subsequent particles in the hydrophobic block. The incorporation of rigid-rod block into the amphiphilic block copolymer results in the self-assembled microstructures and their corresponding properties that differ from those built from fully flexible amphiphilic molecules with the same conditions. By changing the selectivity of solvents, defined in terms of the repulsive interactions between the solvent and the hydrophilic/hydrophobic particles, we find that the aggregation morphology changes from bundle-like micelles to spherical and cylindrical micelles to elongated micelles and then to ring-like toroidal micelles, revealing that the selectivity of solvents is a key factor that determines aggregation morphology. In addition, we observe that the formation of toroidal micelles from coil-rod-coil amphiphilic triblock copolymers proceeds via the growth pathway, which is quite distinct from the conventional toroidal micelle coalescence pathway observed in the self-assembling process of fully flexible amphiphilic triblock copolymer systems. Chain packing in toroidal micelles formed from amphiphilic triblock copolymers with fully flexible hydrophobic and rigid-rod hydrophobic blocks is likewise investigated. The simulation results show that the rigid-rod middle blocks adopt only extended conformations while flexible-coil middle blocks can adopt both folded and extended conformations in toroidal micelles. These findings demonstrate that the bond-bending potential in amphiphilic molecules is an effective and relatively simple method to model the behavior of coil-rod-coil amphiphilic block copolymers.

The Effect of Concentration on Lubricating Properties of Aqueous Solutions of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Ethoxylated Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

Abstract: The objective of this study was to formulate new ecological lubricating substances, primarily water-based, and to verify their tribological and physicochemical properties. Initially, simple binary solutions were investigated. Then, various additives were added depending on application targets. Two alkyl sulfates were selected as additives modifying lubricating properties of water: sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and ethoxylated sodium lauryl sulfate (ESLS). They have an identical hydrophobic part in the form of an alkyl chain consisting of 12 carbon atoms. The SO4 2− anion forms the hydrophilic part in SLS molecules, whereas an ESLS molecule also contains two mers of ethylene oxide which cause an increase in its hydrophilicity relative to SLS. Both SLS and ESLS exhibit high surface activity measured by their surface tension. Micelles form in aqueous solutions of alkyl sulfates at low concentrations of the order of 1%, whereas the presence of liquid crystalline phases can be found at the concentrations of 40 and 70%. High surface activity and formation of structures in the solutions (micelles, mesophases) formed the basis for application of the compounds as additives modifying lubricating properties. Tribological properties of aqueous solutions of alkyl sulfates were verified with a four-ball machine (T02 tester) at a constant load of 2 kN. The values of friction coefficient (μ) were a measure of motion resistance, while the wear scar diameter (d) was a measure of wear. Alkyl sulfates significantly improve tribological properties of water. The coefficient of friction decreased sixfold and the wear scar diameter decreased by as much as twofold relative to the base. Non-monotonic changes in the tribological properties measured were observed as a function of concentration of additives. An attempt was made to relate those atypical changes with the presence of micelles and mesophases in both the surface phase and the bulk phase. In the model proposed the whole concentration range was divided into four areas in which tribological properties correspond well with physicochemical properties, particularly with the structures formed in solutions and at the interface.

A nonaqueous lyotropic liquid crystal fabricated by a polyoxyethylene amphiphile in protic ionic liquid.

Abstract: The aggregation behaviors of oleyl polyoxyethylene (10) ether, Brij 97, in room temperature ionic liquids, ethylammonium nitrate (EAN), pyrrolidinium nitrate ([Pyrr][NO3]), ethylammonium butyrate (EAB), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([Bmim][PF6]), and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([Bmim][BF4]), have been investigated. Only in the Brij 97/EAN binary system is the hexagonal liquid crystalline phase formed, and its ordering is found to decrease with increasing temperature. The lattice spacing values measured from the small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) shrink with reduction of ionic liquid content at room temperature. The general rules for aggregate formation in these ionic liquids are discussed and compared with that in water. A degraded ability to produce the ordered self-assembly of Brij 97 from H2O to EAN to [Bmim][PF6], [Bmim][BF4], [Pyrr][NO3], and EAB is found and analyzed based on the molecular packing and Gordon parameters and also hydrogen-bonding or solvophobic i...

Incorporation of carbon nanotubes into a lyotropic liquid crystal by phase separation in the presence of a hydrophilic polymer.

Abstract: Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) were incorporated into a lyotropic liquid crystal (LLC) matrix formed by n-dodecyl octaoxyethene monoether (C12E6) at room temperature through spontaneous pha...

Nanostructure Evolution during Photopolymerization in Lyotropic Liquid Crystal Templates

Abstract: The ability to direct polymer structure on the nanometer scale has provided access to enhanced material properties that may be tailored to accommodate a growing number of advanced biological and industrial applications. A promising method of generating nanostructure in organic polymers uses self-assembling lyotropic liquid crystalline (LLC) mesophases as templates for polymerization. Unfortunately, thermodynamically driven phase separation often prevents polymer morphology from being precisely controlled. As the demand for polymers with accurately engineered properties increases, a detailed understanding of the phase separation process is needed to control the nanostructure and properties of LLC templated polymers. In this study, photopolymerization kinetics are utilized to identify phase separation events occurring during the photopolymerization of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate and hexanediol diacrylate monomers templated in the normal hexagonal or lamellar LLC mesophases. Discontinuities are found in...

Micelles forming biaxial lyotropic nematic phases

Abstract: The paper by Yu and Saupe on the first biaxial nematic phase created excitement for a number of reasons. Some theories of biaxial phases already existed, but experimental observation was still lacking. The phase was discovered in a lyotropic system with three components, which in theory is difficult. Lyotropic liquid crystals are composed of supramolecular assemblies of amphiphilic molecules, which may change shape and size as a function of concentration and temperature. The experimental phase diagram of the lyotropic biaxial phase was rather complex, with the biaxial region inserted between nematic cylindrical and nematic discotic phases via second-order transitions. In addition, re-entrant behaviour was evident. Saupe investigated further systems experimentally, observing that the biaxial phase might be absent in cases where a direct transition between the cylindrical and discotic phases occurred. He provided a range of theoretical and experimental contributions on the properties of these lyotropics, bu...

Phase behavior of an extended surfactant in water and a detailed characterization of the concentrated phases.

Abstract: The formation of microemulsions with triglycerides at ambient conditions can be improved by increasing the surfactant-water and surfactant-oil interactions. Therefore, extended surfactants were developed, which contain hydrophilic/lipophilic linkers. They have the ability to stretch further into the oil and water phase and enhance the solubility of oil in water. In this work, the phase behavior of a chosen extended surfactant (C(12-14)-PO(16)-EO(2)-SO(4)Na, X-AES) in H(2)O/D(2)O at high surfactant concentrations (30-100 wt %) and at temperatures between 0 and 90 °C is studied for the first time. The lyotropic liquid crystals formed were determined by optical microscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and (2)H and (23)Na NMR, and a detailed phase diagram of the concentrated area is given. The obtained mesophases are a hexagonal phase (H(1)), at low temperatures and small concentrations, a lamellar phase (L(α)) at high temperatures or concentrations, a bicontinuous cubic phase (V(2)) as well as a reverse hexagonal phase (H(2)). To our knowledge, this is the first surfactant that forms both H(1) and H(2) phases without the addition of a third compound. From the (2)H NMR quadrupole splittings of D(2)O, we have examined water binding in the L(α) and the H(2) phases. There is no marked difference in the bound water between the two phases. Where sufficient water is present, the number of bound water molecules per X-AES is estimated to be ca. 18 with only small changes at different temperatures. Similar results were obtained from the (23)Na NMR data, which again showed little difference in the ion binding between the L(α) and the H(2) phases. The X-ray diffraction data show that X-AES has a much smaller average length in the L(α) phase compared to the all-trans length than in the case for conventional surfactants. At very high surfactant concentrations an inverse isotropic solution (L(2)), containing a small fraction of solid particles, is formed. This isotropic solution is clearly identified and the size of the reversed micelles was determined using (1)H NMR measurements. Furthermore, the solid particles within the L(2) phase and the neat surfactant were analyzed. The observed results were compared to common conventional surfactants (e.g., sodium dodecyl sulfate, sodium lauryl ether sulfate, and sodium dodecyl-p-benzene sulfonate), and the influence of the hydrophilic/lipophilic linkers on the phase behavior was discussed.

Nonlinear optical imaging of lyotropic cholesteric liquid crystals.

Abstract: We use nonlinear optical microscopy combining Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) microscopy and Two-Photon Excited Fluorescence (2PEF) signals to characterize collagen lyotropic liquid crystals. We show that SHG signals provide highly contrasted images of the three-dimensional texture of cholesteric patterns with submicrometer lateral resolution. Moreover, simultaneous recording of the 2PEF signal enables in situ quantitative mapping of the molecular concentration and its correlation with the observed textures. We apply this technique to the characterization of biomimetic textures obtained in concentrated collagen liquid solutions. We successfully image biologically relevant organizations that are similar to the collagen organization found as a stabilized state in compact bones.

Single-walled carbon nanotube/lyotropic liquid crystal hybrid materials fabricated by a phase separation method in the presence of polyelectrolyte.

Abstract: We present a detailed study on the incorporation of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) into lyotropic liquid crystals (LLC) by phase separation in the presence of polyelectrolytes. Two cases were studied in this work: (i) incorporation of SWNTs into the LLC phase formed by an anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) in the presence of an anionic polyelectrolyte poly(sodium styrenesulfonate) (PSS); (ii) incorporation of SWNTs into the LLC phase formed by a cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) in the presence of a cationic polyelectrolyte poly(diallydimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC). The SWNTs/LLC composites were characterized by polarized optical microscopy (POM) observations and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements. In both systems, the surfactant phase was condensed into a hexagonal lattice by the polyelectrolyte within the investigated concentration range. Several factors that can influence the property of SWNTs/LLC composite were examined, including concen...

Lyotropic Hexagonal Ordering in Aqueous Media by Conjugated Hairy-Rod Supramolecules

Abstract: We report on a series of experiments on hydrogels formed by supramolecular hairy-rod conjugated polymers and their lyotropic liquid crystalline behavior. The system is an ionic complex between negatively charged poly[2-(3-thienyl)ethyloxy-4-butylsulfonate)] backbones and cationic cetrimonium side chains. These hairy-rod supramolecules form stable isotropic solutions under dilute conditions with enhanced photoluminescence relative to the neat polymer itself. The system displays an isotropic-liquid crystalline transition on increasing concentration, resulting in the formation of a hexagonally ordered lyotropic mesophase in which the polymer chains are packed into hexagonally ordered rod-like assemblies. The mesophase is thermosensitive and can be isotropized by moderate heating. Although theoretically predicted, the observation of such lyotropic mesophases in conjugated polymers has not been reported to date. The results here are rationalized in terms of the uncharacteristically long side chains and inheren...

Phase behavior of liquid–crystalline emulsion systems

Abstract: The phase behavior of a mixture containing a surfactant, fatty alcohols and water has been analyzed. Depending on the amount of surfactant, i.e. N -(3-dimethylaminopropyl) octadecanamide, the emulsion-like system forms different microstructures. With increasing surfactant content the formulation evolves from a system with lyotropic lamellar phases to a system with crystal layer phases. 13 C-CPMAS NMR studies carried out at varying surfactant levels showed significant differences in the behavior of the system. Using 2 H and 13 C-CPMAS NMR, X-ray scattering, DSC and polarization microscopy a phase diagram of this system could be derived. Additionally, ultrasonic velocity measurements showed that the ripening process of the emulsions can take up to 2 weeks and longer.

Linear dsDNA partitions spontaneously into the inverse hexagonal lyotropic liquid crystalline phases of phospholipids.

Abstract: Recently, we reported that DNA associated with inverse hexagonal (HII) lyotropic liquid crystal phases of the lipid 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DOPE) was actively transcribed by T7 RNA polymerase.(1) Our findings suggested that key components of the transcription process, probably the T7 RNA polymerase and the DNA, remained associated with the monolithic HII phase throughout transcription. Here, we investigate the partitioning of DNA between an HII lyotropic liquid crystal phase and an isotropic supernatant phase in order to develop insights into the localization of DNA in liquid crystalline environments. Our results show that linear double stranded DNA (dsDNA) molecules partition spontaneously into monolithic preformed HII liquid crystal phases of DOPE. We propose that this process is driven by the increase in entropy due to the release of counterions from the DNA when it inserts into the aqueous pores of the HII phase.

Lauric Acid-Induced Formation of a Lyotropic Nematic Phase of Disk-Shaped Micelles

Abstract: Addition of small amounts of lauric acid (LA) to a micellar solution of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS, 11.5 wt %) and cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB, 3 wt %) has a dramatic effect on the rheological properties and phase behavior of the system. The viscosity increases by more than 1 order of magnitude up to a weight ratio LA/SDS = 0.17 and decreases for further LA loading. The decrease in viscosity is associated with the formation of a birefringent liquid crystalline phase. The evolution of the system from isotropic micelles in the absence of LA to lyotropic liquid crystals up to a weight ratio LA/SDS = 0.30 was probed by a combination of 23Na NMR quadrupolar splitting, measurements of water and surfactant self-diffusion coefficients via 1H-PGSE-NMR, and rheology. The evolution of the water self-diffusion coefficients indicates that LA induced a dramatic increase in the anisotropy of disk-shaped micelles. Birefringent samples always showed a well developed 23Na quadrupolar splitting with a line shape typical o...

Switchable hydrophilicity solvents and methods of use thereof

Abstract: A solvent that reversibly converts from a hydrophobic liquid form to hydrophilic liquid form upon contact with water and a selected trigger, e.g., contact with CO2, is described. The hydrophilic liquid form is readily converted back to the hydrophobic liquid form and water. The hydrophobic liquid is an amidine or amine. The hydrophilic liquid form comprises an amidinium salt or an ammonium salt.

Diverse ordered 3D nanostructured amphiphile self-assembly materials found in protic ionic liquids

Abstract: Protic ionic liquids (PILs) have been shown to provide media for small amphiphilic molecule self-assembly into periodic 3D geometries. The ability of phytantriol and monoolein to self-assemble into ordered 3D nanostructures analogous to structures observed in aqueous solvents has been demonstrated. Monoolein in ethanolammonium formate (EOAF) formed the double diamond lyotropic liquid crystalline cubic mesophase, and phytantriol formed the gyroid cubic mesophase at 25 °C. The monoolein cubic mesophase was successfully dispersed in excess PIL, forming nanostructured nanoparticles, and imaged by cryo-transmission electron microscopy. The self-assembled materials reported herein can be considered for soft-templating of material structures during synthesis, as encapsulation and controlled release media, as carrier particles in transport phenomena, and as supports for catalysts where the process conditions require a nonaqueous environment.