Self-assembly in the electrical double layer of ionic liquids

Chem Commun (Camb). 2011 Jun 21;47(23):6572-4. doi: 10.1039/c1cc11322d. Epub 2011 May 13.

Abstract

We have studied the structure of two ionic liquids confined between negatively charged mica sheets. Both liquids exhibit interfacial layering, however the repeat distance is dramatically different for the two liquids. Our results suggest a transition from alternating cation-anion monolayers to tail-to-tail cation bilayers when the length of the cation hydrocarbon chain is increased.