Aggregation behavior of ionic liquid in molecular liquid medium: a dynamic light scattering study

The aggregation behavior of a tri-n-octylmethylammonium bis(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate ([N-1888][D2EHP]) in n-dodecane (n-DD) was investigated in detail by dynamic light scattering studies. The aggregate size was measured as a function of various parameters such as concentration of [N-1888][D2EHP] in organic phase, concentration of nitric acid and Nd(III) in aqueous phase, and temperature of the system. The aggregate size increased with increase in the concentration of nitric acid and [N-1888][D2EHP] in organic phase. The aggregate formation of [N-1888][D2EHP] phase was compared with [N-1888][NO3] and bis(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid (D2EHPA) formed in organic phase upon nitric acid extraction. The results are reported in this paper.