Nanodroplet cluster formation in ionic liquid microemulsions

A common ionic liquid (IL), 1-butyl-3-methylimidozolium tetrafluoroborate (bmimBF(4)), is used as polar solvent to induce the formation of a reverse bmimBF(4)-in-toluene IL microemulsion with the aid of the nonionic surfactant Triton X-100. The swelling process of the microemulsion droplets by increasing bmimBF(4) content is detected by dynamic light scattering (DLS), conductivity, UV/Vis spectroscopy, and freeze-fracture transmission electron microscopy (FF-TEM). The results show that the microemulsion droplets initially formed are enlarged by the addition of bmimBF4. However, successive addition of bmimBF4 lead to the appearance of large-sized microemulsion droplet clusters (200-400 nm). NMR spectroscopic analysis reveal that the special structures and properties of bmimBF4 and Triton X-100 together with the polar nature of toluene contribute to the formation of such self-assemblies. These unique self-assembled structures of IL-based microemulsion droplet clusters may have some unusual and unique properties with a number of interesting possibilities for potential applications.