Surfactants and polymerizable surfactants based on room-temperature ionic liquids that form lyotropic liquid crystal phases with water and room-temperature ionic liquids

US7931824B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• The Regents of the University of Colorado · US

Inventors

• Douglas L. Gin · Longmont, US
• Jason E. Bara · Tuscaloosa, US
• Richard D. Noble · Boulder, US
• Xiaohui Zeng · Toronto, CA

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 3, 2007
• Grant date: Apr 26, 2011
• Expiry date: Jan 11, 2028

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C09K2019/528
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A modular surfactant architecture based on room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) has been developed that affords non-polymerizable and polymerizable amphiphiles that form lamellar (L), hexagonal (H) or bicontinuous cubic (Q) LLC phases when mixed with water or RTILs serving as the polar solvent. The amphiphiles are imidazolium salts having two or more imidazolium head groups joined by one or more spacers. Polymerization of the LLC assembly can produce polymeric materials having ordered nanopores, with the ordering of the pores determined by the LLC phase.