Atomic force microscopy (AFM) force profiling is used to investigate the structure of adsorbed and solvation layers formed on a mica surface by various room temperature ionic liquids (ILs) ethylammonium nitrate (EAN), ethanolammonium nitrate (EtAN), ethylammonium formate (EAF), propylammonium formate (PAF), ethylmethylammonium formate (EMAF), and dimethylethylammonium formate (DMEAF). At least seven layers are observed for EAN at 14 degrees C (melting point 13 degrees C), decreasing as the temperature is increased to 30 degrees C due to thermal energy disrupting solvophobic forces that lead to segregation of cation alkyl tails from the charged ammonium and nitrate moieties. The number and properties of the solvation layers can also be controlled by introducing an alcohol moiety to the cation's alkyl tail (EtAN), or by replacing the nitrate anion with formate (EAF and PAF), even leading to the detection of distinct cation and anion sublayers. Substitution of primary by secondary or tertiary ammonium cations reduces the number of solvation layers formed, and also weakens the cation layer adsorbed onto mica. The observed solvation and adsorbed layer structures are discussed in terms of the intermolecular cohesive forces within the ILs.

X-ray reflectivity and vibrational sum frequency spectroscopy are used to probe the structure of the ethylammonium nitrate (EAN)-air interface. X-ray reflectivity reveals that the EAN-air interface is structured and consists of alternating nonpolar and charged layers that extend 31 A into the bulk. Vibrational sum frequency spectroscopy reveals interfacial cations have their ethyl moieties oriented toward air, with the CH(3) C(3) axis positioned approximately 36.5 degrees from interface normal. This structure is invariant between 15 and 51 degrees C. On account of its molecular symmetry, the orientation of the nitrate anion cannot be determined with certainty.

The structure of the free liquid surface of three protic ionic liquids, ethylammonium nitrate (EAN), propylammonium nitrate (PAN), and ethylammonium formate (EAF), has been elucidated using X-ray reflectivity. The results show all three liquids have an extended interfacial region, spanning at least five ion pairs, which can be divided into two parts. Adjacent to the gas phase are aggregates consisting of multiple cations and anions. Below this are layers oriented parallel to the macroscopic surface that are alternately enriched and depleted in cation alkyl chains and polar domains of cation ammonium groups and their anions, gradually decaying to the isotropic sponge-like bulk structure. The most pronounced layering is observed for PAN, driven by strong solvophobic interactions, while reduced hydrogen bonding in EAF results in the least structured and least extensive interfacial region.

The adsorbed layers of polyoxyethylene n-alkyl ether surfactants C(12)E(4), C(14)E(4), and C(16)E(4) at the EAN surface have a headgroup layer that is thin and compact (only approximately 30 vol % EAN). The headgroups do not adopt a preferred orientation and are disordered within the ethylene oxide layer. Alkyl tails contain a significant number of gauche defects indicating a high degree of conformational disorder. The thickness of the tail layer increases with increasing alkyl chain length, while the headgroup layer shows little change. Lowering the C(12)E(4) concentration from 1 to 0.1 wt % decreases the adsorbed amount, and the headgroup layer becomes thinner and less solvated, whereas C(14)E(4) and C(16)E(4) adsorbed layers are unaffected by dilution over the same concentration range. The C(16)E(4) layer thickness increases and area per molecule decreases on warming to 60 degrees C, but the adsorbed layer structures of C(12)E(4) and C(14)E(4) are unchanged. Both effects are attributed to surfactant solubility.