Supramolecular Thermotropic Ionic Liquid Crystals Formed via Self-Assembled Zwitterionic Ionic Liquids

Abstract

Supramolecular thermotropic ionic liquid crystals (ILCs) with hexagonal and lamellar phases were fabricated by the self-assembly of zwitterionic ionic liquids, which were formed by 3-(1-alkyl-3-imidazolio) propanesulfonate with different alkyl chain lengths C n IPS (n = 12, 14, 16) and 3,4,5-tris(dodecyloxy)benzoic acid (TDBA) based on intermolecular electrostatic interactions. The phase behaviors of ILCs were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and polarized optical microscopy (POM). The highly ordered and well-defined microstructure of ILCs can be considered to be proton pathways and to radically improve the ionic conductivity, suggesting the induction of proton conduction through a hopping mechanism.

Functional Ionic Liquid Crystals

“…In 47 / 48 , it was postulated that the proton-conducting pathways were formed by the H-bonded dimers of 47 that were bridged with 48 . Similarly, Zheng et al reported the thermotropic ILCs with Col h and Sm phases capable of conducting protons under anhydrous conditions . These ILCs were constructed from imidazolium-based amphiphilic zwitterions and 3,4,5-dodecyloxybenzoic acid through intermolecular electrostatic interactions.…”

“…Similarly, Zheng et al reported the thermotropic ILCs with Col h and Sm phases capable of conducting protons under anhydrous conditions. 99 These ILCs were constructed from imidazolium-based amphiphilic zwitterions and 3,4,5-dodecyloxybenzoic acid through intermolecular electrostatic interactions. The imidazolium zwitterions played an important role in the formation of LC phases with highly ordered and well-defined ion-conducting pathways, thus resulting in higher ionic conductivities compared to that of 3,4,5-dodecyloxybenzoic acid itself.…”

New Schiff base compounds with benzene moiety: FT-IR, 1H and 13C NMR Spectroscopy (1D) studies

“…The protons residing in the alkyl chain ((CH2)n) in all compounds 12aza and 14aza' chain can be substantiated by multiples at the range of δ =2.46-1.09 ppm. Moreover, a signal which appears as triplet at the chemical shift δ =0.88-0.80 ppm can be assigned to the terminal methyl (CH3) [14,15]. The data of the 13 C-NMR chemical shifts for title compounds 6aza-14aza and 6aza'-14aza' in DMSO solution are listed in respective Tables 5 and 6.…”

Hierarchical self-assembly in colloidal and molecular length scales in thermotropic zwitterionic liquid crystals

“…On the other hand, the possibilities of ionic interactions in low-molecular weight molecular self-assemblies have recently become appreciated in the perspective of ionic liquid crystals 8,[19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28] . A particular case deals using zwitterions with bound positive and negative charges in the compounds, i.e., involving no counter-ions [29][30][31][32][33][34][35] . Therein, the long-range electrostatic interactions of ionic groups facilitate liquid crystallinity instead of the shape persistent mesogens.…”