Aggregation Behaviours of Surface-Active Ionic Liquids 1-Alkyl-3-methylimidazolium Bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate

The systematic investigation of the aggregation behaviours of newly synthesised surface-active ionic liquids 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate ([Cnmim][AOT], n = 2, 3, 5, 6, 7) by various techniques is reported. The critical aggregation concentrations (CACs) and the standard Gibbs free energies of aggregation () were determined from measurements on conductivity, fluorescence, and surface tension, which suggested a stronger self-assembly ability in the bulk solution for [Cnmim][AOT] surfactants with longer alkyl chain cations. An interesting structure transition driven by the penetration of the imidazolium cation into the aggregate when n > 4 was found by analysis of the variations of the values of CAC, , the degree of counter ion binding (β), and the micropolarity (I1/I3) immediately after the CAC with changing alkyl chain length of the imidazolium cation, which was further confirmed by 1H NMR measurements.