Dynamic alterations in physiological and biochemical indicators of Cirrhinus mrigala hatchlings: A sublethal exposure of triclosan.

Triclosan (TCS), a biocide used in various day-to-day products, has been associated with several toxic effects in aquatic organisms. In the present study, biochemical and hematological alterations were evaluated after 14 d (sublethal) exposure of tap water (control), acetone (solvent control), 5, 10, 20, and 50 µg/L (environmentally relevant concentrations) TCS to the embryos/hatchlings of Cirrhinus mrigala, a major freshwater carp distributed in tropic and sub-tropical areas of Asia. A concentration-dependent increase in the content of urea and protein carbonyl, while a decrease in the total protein, glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, uric acid, and bilirubin was observed after the exposure. Hematological analysis revealed a decrease in the total erythrocyte count, hemoglobin, and partial pressure of oxygen, while there was an increase in the total leucocyte count, carbon dioxide, and partial pressure of carbon dioxide and serum electrolytes. Comet assay demonstrates a concentration-dependent increase in tail length, tail moment, olive tail moment, and percent tail DNA. An amino acid analyzer showed a TCS-dose-dependent increase in various amino acids. Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis revealed different proteins ranging from 6.5 to 200 kDa, demonstrating TCS-induced upregulation. Fourier transform infrared spectra analysis exhibited a decline in peak area percents with an increase in the concentration of TCS in water. Curve fitting of amide I (1,700-1600 cm-1) showed a decline in α-helix and turns and an increase in ß-sheets. Nuclear magnetic resonance study also revealed concentration-dependent alterations in the metabolites after 14 d exposure. TCS caused alterations in the biomolecules and heamatological parameters of fish, raising the possibility that small amounts of TCS may change the species richness in natural aquatic habitats. In addition, consuming TCS-contaminated fish may have detrimental effects on human health. Consequently, there is a need for the proper utilisation and disposal of this hazardous compound in legitimate quantities.

Conversion of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural to furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid by a simple and metal-free catalytic system.

A simple and metal-free catalytic system composed of NaOtBu/DMF and an O2 balloon efficiently converted 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) to furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid with an 80.85% yield. 5-HMF analogues and various types of alcohols were also transformed to their corresponding acids in satisfactory to excellent yield by this catalytic system.

A polyoxometalate-based supramolecular chemosensor for rapid detection of hydrogen sulfide with dual signals.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been verified as an important biological mediator in human physiological activities, but its rapid and accurate detection is remaining a challenge. Based on our early work, Eu-containing polyoxometalate/ionic liquid-type gemini surfactant hybrid nanoparticles fabricated by EuW10O36·32H2O (Eu-POM) and 1,2-bis(3-hexadecylimidazolium-1-yl) ethane bromide ([C16-2-C16im]Br2) via ionic self-assembly (ISA) strategy, we modified the hybrids with copper (II) ion and used them as a novel turn-off supramolecular fluorescence probe for H2S immediate response. Although copper (II) ions can cause decrease of the fluorescence intensity, the probe with moderate amount of copper (II) still has a high performance in emission property. The copper (II) ion-modified supramolecular sensor (CSS) shows dual signals in the fluorescence intensity and absorbance for H2S detection, and the detection limit is about1.25µM. Furthermore, CSS displays high selectivity for H2S in the presence of other anions and species (e.g. Cl-, Br-, I-, SO42-, SO32-, S2O32-, AC-, H2O2, HCO3-, l-cysteine, homocysteine and l-glutathione), and also have potential for preferential imaging in vivo. Besides, the fluorescence quenching mechanism of CSS in the presence of H2S was explored. CuS generated by the reaction between Cu2+ and H2S was testified to act as a quencher, and the nonradiative resonance energy transfer mechanism was speculated to be responsible for fluorescence quenching. It is anticipated that the as-prepared CSS will be used as an efficient chemosensor for the rapid detection of H2S, which is critical for the diagnosis of some diseases, e.g. Alzhermer's disease, Down's syndrome, and diabetes, etc.

Effect of Imidazolium-Based Surface-Active Ionic Liquids on the Orientation of Liquid Crystals at Various Fluid/Liquid Crystal Interfaces.

A series of imidazolium-based surface-active ionic liquids (IM-SAILs), viz., single-chained IM-SAILs, 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide ([Cnmim]Br, n = 12, 14, 16), 1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazolium salicylate ([C12mim]Sal), 1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazolium 3-hydroxy-2-naphthoate ([C12mim]HNC), 1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazolium cinnamate ([C12mim]CA), 1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazolium para-hydroxy-cinnamate ([C12mim]PCA), gemini IM-SAIL, and 1,2-bis(3-dodecylimidazolium-1-yl)ethane bromide ([C12-2-C12im]Br2), along with three short-chained ionic liquids (ILs) [ethylammonium nitrate (EAN), propylammonium nitrate (PAN), and butylammonium nitrate (BAN)] were synthesized and applied to nematic liquid crystal (LC)/fluid interfaces. First, we evaluated the influence of the length and number of aliphatic chains as well as the counterion in the IM-SAIL structures on the anchoring of LCs at the aqueous/LC interface. It was observed that the threshold concentration of [Cnmim]Br (n = 12, 14, 16) decreased with the increase in aliphatic chain length. And double-chained [C12-2-C12im]Br2 has a far lower threshold concentration than single-chained [C12mim]Br. But the alteration of counterions (e.g., Br- and aromatic counterions) scarcely affected the anchoring of LCs at the interface. Second, we investigated the alignment of LCs at the diverse IL/LC interfaces in the presence of IM-SAILs. It is found that the variations in both aliphatic chain length and number can remarkably change the trigger points of the orientational transition of LCs at the EAN/LC interface. Specifically, with a slight increase in the alkyl chain length of short-chained ILs, as the fluid medium, the orientation of LCs varied tremendously at the IL/LC interface. Therefore, the higher threshold concentration of IM-SAILs and the corresponding greater stability in the optical appearance of LCs at the EAN/LC interface compared to that of the aqueous/LC interface can be ascribed to the discrepancy in the microstructure of water and IL. Finally, we verified that the volume ratio of H2O to EAN could more dramatically affect the alignment of LCs than the change in IM-SAIL concentration in aqueous solution. This work first illustrated the impact of SAIL structure on the LCs orientation at the aqueous/LC, IL/LC, and H2O-IL mixture/LC interfaces, which will inspire us to obtain a stabilized molecular alignment of LCs at the IL/LC interfaces and to further design novel functionalized SAIL molecules for various chemical and biological applications.

A nonionic surfactant-decorated liquid crystal sensor for sensitive and selective detection of proteins.

Proteins are responsible for most biochemical events in human body. It is essential to develop sensitive and selective methods for the detection of proteins. In this study, liquid crystal (LC)-based sensor for highly selective and sensitive detection of lysozyme, concanavalin A (Con A), and bovine serum albumin (BSA) was constructed by utilizing the LC interface decorated with a nonionic surfactant, dodecyl ß-d-glucopyranoside. A change of the LC optical images from bright to dark appearance was observed after transferring dodecyl ß-d-glucopyranoside onto the aqueous/LC interface due to the formation of stable self-assembled surfactant monolayer, regardless of pH and ion concentrations studied in a wide range. The optical images turned back from dark to bright appearance after addition of lysozyme, Con A and BSA, respectively. Noteworthy is that these proteins can be further distinguished by adding enzyme inhibitors and controlling incubation temperature of the protein solutions based on three different interaction mechanisms between proteins and dodecyl ß-d-glucopyranoside, viz. enzymatic hydrolysis, specific saccharide binding, and physical absorption. The LC-based sensor decorated with dodecyl ß-d-glucopyranoside shows high sensitivity for protein detection. The limit of detection (LOD) for lysozyme, Con A and BSA reaches around 0.1 µg/mL, 0.01 µg/mL and 0.001 µg/mL, respectively. These results might provide new insights into increasing selectivity and sensitivity of LC-based sensors for the detection of proteins.

A liquid crystal-based sensor for the simple and sensitive detection of cellulase and cysteine.

A liquid crystal (LC)-based sensor, which is capable of monitoring enzymatic activity at the aqueous/LC interface and detecting cellulase and cysteine (Cys), was herein reported. When functionalized with a surfactant, dodecyl ß-d-glucopyranoside, the 4-cyano-4'-pentylbiphenyl (5CB) displays a dark-to-bright transition in the optical appearance for cellulase. We attribute this change to the orientational transition of LCs, as a result of enzymatic hydrolysis between cellulase and surfactant. Furthermore, by adding cellulase and Cu(2+), our surfactant-LCs system performs an interesting ability to detect Cys, even though Cys could not interact with surfactant or LC directly. Alternatively, through the strong binding between Cys and Cu(2+), cellulase was able to hydrolyze surfactant in the presence of Cu(2+), leading to the transition of LCs from dark to bright. The detection limit of the LC sensor was around 1×10(-5)mg/mL and 82.5µM for cellulase and Cys, respectively. The LC-based sensor may contribute to the development of low-cost, expedient, and label-free detection for cellulase and Cys and the design strategy may also provide a novel way for detecting multiple analytes.

Multi-stimuli Responsive Supramolecular Structures Based on Azobenzene Surfactant-Encapsulated Polyoxometalate.

Multi-stimuli responsive materials have attracted intense attention as extensive application prospect in many fields, yet achievement of multi-stimuli responsiveness remains a challenge. Herein, we report a tri-stimuli responsive supramolecular structure fabricated by a cationic surfactant, 4-ethyl-4'-(trimethylaminohexyloxy) azobenzene bromide (ETAB), and anionic Eu-containing polyoxometalates (Eu-POM), based on an ionic self-assembly (ISA) strategy. Following different responsive mechanisms, the resultant ETAB/Eu-POM supramolecular materials are responsive to UV light, pH, and Cu(2+), respectively. The response to UV irradiation is based on the configuration change of azobenzene molecules. The response to H(+) can be attributed to the formation of a hydrogen bond W-O···H···O-H among Eu-POM, H(+), and H2O, which blocks the energy transfer pathway from O → W, while the coordination interaction between Cu(2+) and Oc (bridged oxygen of two octahedra sharing an edge in the Eu-POM molecule) causes the response to Cu(2+). The multi-stimuli responsive characteristics for the ETAB/Eu-POM supramolecular structures maybe provide a potential application in ultraviolet detection, optical storage devices, and chemical substance sensors, etc.

Solvent and Substituent Effects on the Aggregation Behavior of Surface-Active Ionic Liquids with Aromatic Counterions and the Dispersion of Carbon Nanotubes in their Hexagonal Liquid Crystalline Phase.

The aggregation behavior of surface-active ionic liquids (SAILs) 1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazolium m- and p-hydroxybenzoate (m-C12mimHB and p-C12mimHB) in water and ethylammonium nitrate (EAN) was investigated. Surface tension measurements indicate that the cmc values of SAILs in EAN are much higher than those in water, resulting from the weaker solvophobic effect of EAN, and the stronger stability of SAILs/EAN complexes proven by DFT calculations. Compared to 1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazolium salicylate (C12mimSal), the effect of substituent position leads to weaker interactions between aromatic counterions and headgroups. The hexagonal liquid crystal (H1) phase formed by C12mimHB in water or EAN at a higher concentration was determined by polarized optical microscopy (POM), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and rheology techniques. Structural parameters estimated from SAXS curves suggest that the higher SAILs concentration or temperature leads to a smaller lattice parameter (a0) and a denser arrangement of cylinders. For C12mimHB, the formation of the H1 phase in H2O is easier than that in EAN. Furthermore, compared to C12mimSal, C12mimHB exists over a broad region of the hexagonal liquid crystalline (H1) phase, which is due to the different position of the substituents on the aromatic ring of counterions. Therefore, the H1 phase of the lypotropic liquid crystals (LLCs) formed in the C12mimHB/H2O system exhibits excellent performance in uniformly dispersing multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Increasing the concentration of MWCNTs results in a larger lattice parameter (a0) value, indicating the integration of MWCNTs within the cylinders of the H1 phase. The rheological measurement results demonstrate that MWCNTs/LLCs composites are highly viscoelastic, and the presence of MWCNTs obviously strengthens the apparent viscosity of the H1 phase.

Aggregation Behavior of Imidazolium-Based Surface-Active Ionic Liquids with Photoresponsive Cinnamate Counterions in the Aqueous Solution.

Two imidazolium-based surface active ionic liquids (SAILs) with photoresponsive cinnamate aromatic counterions, viz. 1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazolium cinnamate ([C12mim][CA]) and 1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazolium para-hydroxy-cinnamate ([C12mim][PCA]), were newly synthesized, and their self-assembly behaviors in aqueous solutions were systematically explored. Results of surface tension and conductivity measurements show that both [C12mim][CA] and [C12mim][PCA] display a superior surface activity in aqueous solutions compared to the common imidazolium-based SAIL, 1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide (C12mimBr), which implies the incorporation of cinnamate aromatic counterions can promote the micellar formation. Furthermore, [C12mim][CA] shows higher surface activity due to the higher hydrophobicity of its counterion in comparison to [C12mim][PCA] that has a hydroxyl group. Both hexagonal liquid-crystalline phase (H1) and cubic liquid-crystalline phase (V2) were constructed in the [C12mim][CA] aqueous solutions. In contrast, the [C12mim][PCA]/H2O system only exhibits a single hexagonal liquid-crystalline phase (H1) in a broad concentration region. These lyotropic liquid crystal (LLC) phases were comprehensively characterized by polarized optical microscopy (POM), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and rheometer. Investigation on the temperature-dependent self-assembly nanostructures demonstrates that the higher temperature leads to a looser arrangement. Under UV irradiation, trans-cis photoisomerization of the phenylalkene group results in inferior surface activity of the prepared SAILs in aqueous solution with higher cmc values. Moreover, UV light irradiation induces obvious change of the structural parameters without altering the LLC phases. This work is expected to enrich the investigations of phase behaviors formed in SAILs systems and receive particular attention due to their unique properties and potential applications in drug delivery, biochemistry, materials science, etc.

Aggregation behavior of long-chain N-aryl imidazolium bromide in aqueous solution.

The aggregation behavior of three long-chain N-aryl imidazolium ionic liquids (ILs), 1-(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-3-alkylimidazolium bromide [C(n)pim]Br (n = 10, 12, and 14), in aqueous solutions was systematically explored by surface tension, electrical conductivity, and (1)H NMR. A lower critical micelle concentration (cmc) for the N-aryl imidazolium ILs is observed compared with that for 1,3-dialkylimidazolium ILs [C(n)mim]Br, indicating that the incorporation of the 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl group into a headgroup favors micellization. The enhanced π-π interactions among the adjacent 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl groups weaken the steric hindrance of headgroups and thus lead to a dense arrangement of [C(n)pim]Br molecules at the air-water interface. An analysis of the (1)H NMR spectra revealed that the introduced 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl group may slightly bend into the hydrophobic regions upon micellization. The micelle formation process for [C(n)pim]Br (n = 10, 12, and 14) was found to be enthalpy-driven in the investigated temperature range, which is attributed to the strong electrostatic self-repulsion of the headgroups and the counterions as well as the π-π interactions among headgroups. Strong, stable fluorescence properties are presented by the new N-aryl imidazolium ILs, indicating their potential application in the field of photochemistry.

Self-aggregation behavior of fluorescent carbazole-tailed imidazolium ionic liquids in aqueous solutions.

Three amphiphilic imidazolium ionic liquids (ILs), 1-[n-(N-carbazole)alkyl]-3-methylimidazolium bromide [carbazoleC(n)mim]Br (n = 6, 10, and 12), that incorporate a fluorescent carbazole moiety at the terminal of the hydrocarbon chain, were designed and synthesized. Their surface activity, aggregation behavior, and thermodynamics of micelle formation in aqueous solutions were systematically investigated by surface tension, electrical conductivity, and (1)H NMR spectroscopy. The incorporation of bulky carbazole groups led to the loose arrangement of [carbazoleC(n)mim]Br molecules at the air-water interface. Both the enhanced hydrophobicity and the pi-pi interaction due to the incorporation of carbazole groups contributed to the lower critical micelle concentration (cmc) and higher micellar aggregation number, reflecting a strong capability of the designed carbazole-tailed imidazolium ILs for the formation of micelle. The analysis of (1)H NMR spectra revealed that the carbazole moieties may overlap with the middle methylenes of the alkyl chains. The amphiphilic carbazole-tailed imidazolium ILs demonstrated strong and stable fluorescence properties, indicating their potential application in the combined field of surface chemistry and photochemistry.

Aggregation behavior of N-alkyl perfluorooctanesulfonamides in dimethyl sulfoxide solution.

N-alkyl perfluorooctanesulfonamides (C8F17SO2NHCnH2n+1, FC8-HCn, n = 2, 4, 6, 8) were shown to form aggregates in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Surface tension results revealed that the dissolution of FC8-HCn reduced the surface tension of DMSO in a manner analogous to common surfactants in aqueous solutions. Maximum surface excess amount (Gamma(max)) and minimum surface area per molecule (Amin) at the air-liquid interface were estimated. Gamma(max) decreases and Amin increases with an increase of the hydrocarbon chain length of FC8-HCn. Steady-state fluorescence and NMR measurements demonstrated that both fluorocarbon and hydrocarbon chains of FC8-HCn molecules were incorporated inside the aggregates. UV-vis spectroscopy confirmed the formation of aggregates and determined the critical micelle concentration (cmc) of FC8-HC6 and FC8-HC8 solutions. The thermodynamic parameters DeltaG(0)(agg), DeltaH(0)(agg), and DeltaS(0)(agg) for the aggregate formation of FC8-HCn in DMSO derived from the temperature dependence of the cmc revealed that the aggregate formation is an enthalpy-driven process, which was further confirmed by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) measurements. Moreover, the absolute values of DeltaG(0)(agg) and DeltaH(0)(agg) increase with an increase of the hydrocarbon chain length of FC8-HCn at 298 K.

Aggregation behavior of a chiral long-chain ionic liquid in aqueous solution.

The synthesis of a chiral long-chain ionic liquid (IL), S-3-hexadecyl-1-(1-hydroxy-propan-2-yl)-imidazolium bromide ([C(16)hpim]Br), is presented. The adsorption and aggregation of this surface active IL in aqueous solution is described. The critical micelle concentration (cmc) measurement suggests that the chiral IL has superior capacity for micelle formation compared to traditional ionic surfactants. The relatively larger hydrophilic head group of the IL results in a larger maximum surface excess concentration (Gamma(max)) and a smaller minimum molecular cross-sectional area (A(min)). Electrical conductivity studies show a small degree of counterion binding to these micelles, which may increase the electrostatic repulsions between the hydrophilic heads of adjacent surfactant molecules. Both factors of the hydrophilic headgroup size and electrostatic repulsion in [C(16)hpim]Br micelles lead to a looser packing of the surfactant molecules in the micelles. As a result, a higher micropolarity and smaller mean aggregation number is observed. Moreover, the looser micellar packing of the [C(16)hpim]Br molecules results in a unusual upfield shift of the proton NMR signals in the hydrophobic chains after micelle formation. (1)H NMR and 2D ROESY spectroscopic analyses confirm a chiral arrangement of the micelles. Chiral IL micelles may have potential applications in the stereochemical recognition of surfaces or of biological structures.

Aggregation behavior of polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monolaurate (tween 20) in imidazolium based ionic liquids.

Surface tension measurements were carried out for the solutions of polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monolaurate (Tween 20) in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (bmimBF 4) and hexafluorophosphate (bmimPF 6) at various temperatures. Two transition points were found in the surface tension-concentration curves at each temperature. The freeze-fracture transmission electron microscopy revealed that two kinds of particles with different sizes are formed at the concentrations of each transition point. Thus, the surfactant concentrations of the two transition points are regarded as critical aggregation concentrations, CAC 1 and CAC 2. From the CAC values and their temperature dependence, we estimated the thermodynamic parameters of the aggregate formation, Delta G agg (0), Delta H agg (0), and Delta S agg (0). The thermodynamic parameters related to CAC 1 are almost independent of temperature. On the other hand, as for the aggregate formation at CAC 2, a positiveDelta S agg (0) contributes to a negative Delta G agg (0) at low temperature, while a negative Delta H agg (0) contributes to a negative Delta G agg (0) at high temperature. The behavior of the thermodynamic parameters as a function of temperature, combined with the variation of (1)H NMR chemical shifts of the bmim (+) protons as a function of the surfactant concentration, demonstrated that the aggregates formed at CAC 1 are nanodroplets of Tween 20 segregated from the solution phase, while those formed at CAC 2 are similar to the usual surfactant micelles formed in aqueous solution.

Second virial coefficient of bmimBF4/triton X-100/ cyclohexane ionic liquid microemulsion as investigated by microcalorimetry.

The second virial coefficient of the ionic liquid (IL) microemulsion was obtained for the first time using microcalorimetry. The heat of dilution of the microemulsion solutions was measured by isothermal titration microcalorimetry (ITC), and the second virial coefficient was derived from the heat of dilution and the number density of the IL microemulsion solutions on the basis of a hard-sphere interaction potential assumption and as a function of the second-order polynomial. The validity of the second virial coefficient was confirmed by the percolation behavior of different ionic liquid microemulsion solutions of Triton X-100 in cyclohexane with or without added salts. The information obtained from the second virial coefficient shows that the interactions between ionic liquid microemulsion droplets are much stronger than those for traditional microemulsions, which may be attributed to the relatively larger size of the microemulsion droplets.

Role of solubilized water in the reverse ionic liquid microemulsion of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate/TX-100/benzene.

The ionic liquid (IL) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (bmimBF4) can form nonaqueous microemulsions with benzene by the aid of nonionic surfactant TX-100. The effect of water on ionic liquid-in-oil (IL/O) microemulsions was studied, and it was shown that the addition of small amount of water to the IL microemulsion contributed to the stability of microemulsion and thus increased the amount of solubilized bmimBF4 in the microemulsion. The conductivity measurements also showed that the attractive interactions between IL microdroplets were weakened, that is, the IL/O microemulsion becomes more stable in the present of some water. Fourier transform IR was carried out to analyze the states of the added water, and the result showed that these water molecules mainly behaved as bound water and trapped water, indicating that the water molecules are located in the palisade layers of the IL/O microemulsion. Furthermore, 1H NMR and 19F NMR spectra suggested that the added water molecules built the hydrogen binding network of imidazolium cations and H2O, BF4- anion and H2O, and at the same time the electronegative oxygen atoms of the oxyethylene units of TX-100 and water in the palisade layers, which made the palisade layers more firm and thus increased the stability of the microemulsion. The study can help in further understanding the formation mechanism of microemulsions. In addition, the characteristic solubilization behavior of the added water can provide an aqueous interface film for hydrolysis reactions and therefore may be used as an ideal medium to prepare porous or hollow nanomaterials.

Studies on the micropolarities of bmimBF4/TX-100/toluene ionic liquid microemulsions and their behaviors characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy.

Ionic liquids (ILs), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (bmimBF4), were substituted for polar water and formed nonaqueous microemulsions with toluene by the aid of nonionic surfactant TX-100. The phase behavior of the ternary system was investigated, and microregions of bmimBF4-in-toluene (IL/O), bicontinuous, and toluene-in-bmimBF4 (O/IL) were identified by traditional electrical conductivity measurements. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) revealed the formation of the IL microemulsions. The micropolarities of the IL/O microemulsions were investigated by the UV-vis spectroscopy using the methyl orange (MO) and methylene blue (MB) as absorption probes. The results indicated that the polarity of the IL/O microemulsion increased only before the IL pools were formed, whereas a relatively fixed polar microenvironment was obtained in the IL pools of the microemulsions. Moreover, UV-vis spectroscopy has also shown that ionic salt compounds such as Ni(NO3)2, CoCl2, CuCl2, and biochemical reagent riboflavin could be solubilized into the IL/O microemulsion droplets, indicating that the IL/O microemulsions have potential application in the production of metallic or semiconductor nanomaterials, and in biological extractions or as solvents for enzymatic reactions. The IL/O microemulsions may have some expected effects due to the unique features of ILs and microemulsions.

The effect of water on the microstructure of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate/TX-100/benzene ionic liquid microemulsions.

The ionic liquid (IL) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([bmim][BF4]) forms nonaqueous microemulsions with benzene with the aid of nonionic surfactant TX-100. The phase diagram of the ternary system was prepared, and the microstructures of the microemulsion were recognized. On the basis of the phase diagram, a series of ionic liquid-in-oil (IL/O) microemulsions were chosen and characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), which shows a similar swelling behavior to typical water-in-oil (W/O) microemulsions. The existence of IL pools in the IL/O microemulsion was confirmed by UV/Vis spectroscopic analysis with CoCl2 and methylene blue (MB) as the absorption probes. A constant polarity of the IL pool is observed, even if small amounts of water are added to the microemulsion, thus suggesting that the water molecules are solubilized in the polar outer shell of the microemulsion, as confirmed by FTIR spectra. 1H NMR spectroscopic analysis shows that these water molecules interact with the electronegative oxygen atoms of the oxyethylene (OE) units of TX-100 through hydrogen-bonding interactions, and the electronegative oxygen atoms of the water molecules attract the electropositive imidazolium rings of [bmim][BF4]. Hence, the water molecules are like a glue that stick the IL and OE units more tightly together and thus make the microemulsion system more stable. Considering the unique solubilization behavior of added water molecules, the IL/O microemulsion system may be used as a medium to prepare porous or hollow nanomaterials by hydrolysis reactions.

Structural studies of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate/TX-100/ p-xylene ionic liquid microemulsions.

The ionic liquid (IL) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (bmimBF4) forms nonaqueous microemulsions with p-xylene, with the aid of the nonionic surfactant TX-100. The phase behavior of the ternary system is investigated, and three microregions of the microemulsions-ionic liquid-in-oil (IL/O), bicontinuous, and oil-in-ionic liquid (O/IL)-are identified by conductivity measurements, according to percolation theory. On the basis of a phase diagram, a series of IL/O microemulsions are chosen and characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS). The size of aggregates increases on increasing the amount of added polar component (bmimBF(4)), which is a similar phenomenon to that observed for typical water-in-oil (W/O) microemulsions, suggesting the formation of IL/O microemulsions. The microstructural characteristics of the microemulsions are investigated by FTIR and 1H NMR spectroscopy. The results indicate that the interaction between the electronegative oxygen atoms of the oxyethylene (OE) units in TX-100 and the electropositive imidazolium ring may be the driving force for the solubilization of bmimBF4 into the core of the TX-100 aggregates. In addition, the micropolarity of the microemulsions is investigated by using methyl orange (MO) as a UV/Vis spectroscopic probe. A relatively constant polarity of the microemulsion droplets is obtained in the IL microemulsion. Finally, a plausible structure for the IL/O microemulsion is presented.

Inclusion complexes of beta-cyclodextrin with ionic liquid surfactants.

The three kinds of ionic liquid (IL) surfactants, 1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (C(12)mimPF(6)), 1-tetradecyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (C(14)mimPF(6)), and 1-hexadecyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (C(16)mimPF(6)), were used to form the inclusion complexes (ICs) with beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD). The surface tension measurements revealed that there were two kinds of inclusion formations, 1:1 and 1:2 (beta-CD/IL) stoichiometry for beta-CD-C(12)mimPF(6) and beta-CD-C(14)mimPF(6) ICs, and only 1:1 stoichiometry for beta-CD-C(16)mimPF(6) ICs. These inclusion compounds were further characterized by XRD, (13)C CP/MAS NMR, (1)H NMR, rotating frame nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (ROESY), and thermogravimetry (TGA). The results showed that these ICs were fine crystalline powder. The host-guest system presented a channel-type structure, and each glucose unit of beta-CD was in a similar environment. It was suggested that hydrophobicity played a crucial role in supporting the formation of ICs. The decomposition temperature of these ICs was lower than those of their precursors. Furthermore, the possible inclusion structures were also speculated. These inclusion behaviors are likely to be used to recover ILs in the process of their preparation.