Understanding and Optimizing Microemulsions with Magnetic Room Temperature Ionic Liquids (MRTILs)

Nonaqueous mictoemulsions containing the magnetic room temperature ionic liquid (MRTIL) bmimFeCl(4) as polar phase were studied with respect to their macroscopic phase behavior and structure by Means of small angle neutron scattering (SANS). The phase behavior was studied in detail for different alcohols as cosurfactant and different oils as nonpolar Phase and mainly by varying the chain length of the used ionic stitfactant (C(n)mimCl with n = 14, 16, 18). In general, phase behavior and structural ordering in the mesophases were found to be comparable to Water systems where with increasing content of MRTIL the microennilsions seems to become less and less structured leading to a tough and softer interface with less longrange ordering. The extent of structuring increases with increasing chain length of the surfactant: However, the pure surfactant is not able to form microemulsions and -a rather large amount of alcohol is required for stabilization, where the effectiveness of the alcohol increases with increasing chain length of the alcohol. From this comprehensive investigation systematic trends can be deduced in order to formulate correspondingly structured microemulsions with MRTIL as polar phase.