Self-assembly of a nonionic surfactant at the graphite/ionic liquid interface

J Am Chem Soc. 2005 Aug 31;127(34):11940-1. doi: 10.1021/ja053904z.

Abstract

In this study, we demonstrate by AFM imaging that nonionic surfactants self-assemble into hemicylindrical aggregates at the interface between graphite and the room temperature ionic liquid ethylammonium nitrate. Like aqueous systems, surfactant first adsorbs in a tail-to-tail monolayer arrangement along one of the three symmetry axes of graphite, templating subsequent self-assembly into adsorbed hemicylinders. Longer surfactant tails and higher concentrations are required to produce hemicylindrical aggregates in the ionic liquid than in aqueous solutions.