Unravelling nanoconfined films of ionic liquids

Journal Article · Sun Sep 07 00:00:00 EDT 2014 · Journal of Chemical Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4893714· OSTI ID:22419871

Lee, Alpha A.; Vella, Dominic; Goriely, Alain ^[1]; Perkin, Susan ^[2]

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1. Mathematical Institute, Andrew Wiles Building, University of Oxford, Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 6GG (United Kingdom)
2. Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QZ (United Kingdom)

The confinement of an ionic liquid between charged solid surfaces is treated using an exactly solvable 1D Coulomb gas model. The theory highlights the importance of two dimensionless parameters: the fugacity of the ionic liquid, and the electrostatic interaction energy of ions at closest approach, in determining how the disjoining pressure exerted on the walls depends on the geometrical confinement. Our theory reveals that thermodynamic fluctuations play a vital role in the “squeezing out” of charged layers as the confinement is increased. The model shows good qualitative agreement with previous experimental data, with all parameters independently estimated without fitting.

• OSTI ID: 22419871
• Journal Information: Journal of Chemical Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Chemical Physics Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 141; ISSN JCPSA6; ISSN 0021-9606
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
EXACT SOLUTIONS
FILMS
INTERACTIONS
LIQUIDS
SOLIDS
SURFACES