Morphological and Interaction Characteristics of Surface-Active Ionic Liquids and Palmitic Acid in Mixed Monolayers

A series of water soluble, surface-active ionic liquids (SAILs), namely, 1-alkyl-3-methyl imidazolium chlorides ([C-n-mim]Cl) and their mixtures with palmitic acid (PA) are investigated in Langmuir monolayers and Langmuir-Blodgett films. It is inferred from the surface pressure-area isotherms that C-16-mim-IL mixes non-ideally with PA and stabilizes the binary mixed films. In addition, the residence ofmim-IL at the water surface is enhanced as a function of the increasing alkyl side chain length. Generally, the compressional moduli values decrease upon increasing the content of themim-ILs over a wide range of compositions. Furthermore, film relaxation measurements indicate that the IL component is selectively excluded from the mixed films upon achieving a certain target pressure. Brewster angle microscope images demonstrate minimal changes on the PA domains in the presence of either C-4- and C-8-mim-ILs, whereas presence of the hexadecyl counterpart results in the formation of condensed sheets. Atomic force microscopy imaging of deposited films show the formation of propeller-like aggregates when C-8- or C-16-mim-IL is present in the mixed films.