Novel ionic liquid crystals based on N-alkylcaprolactam as cations

Jing Yang, Qinghua Zhang, Laiying Zhu, Shiguo Zhang, Jian Li, Xiaoping Zhang, Youquan Deng

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41 Scopus citations

Abstract

A novel series of ionic liquids (ILs) based on N-alkyl-ε-caprolactam as cations [Cn-CP]+ (Cn = alkyl with different numbers of C atoms; n -6, 8, 10, 12, 16, or 18) containing toluene-p-sulfonate [TS]- and methanesulfonate [MS]- as anions have been synthesized via a one-step atom-economic reaction. Characterizations of these ILs by differential scanning calorimetry, polarizing optical microscopy, variabletemperature powder X-ray diffraction, etc., were conducted. The results showed that the caprolactambased ILs (n ≥ 8) were enantiotropic thermotropic liquid crystals, except for C18-CPMS (monotropic), and displayed smectic A phases. Some properties, such as higher transition enthalpies (e.g., ΔH = 83.1 kJ/mol for C18-CPTS), higher specific heat capacities (e.g., Cp = 2.85 J/g·K for C16-CPTS) and higher heat storage densities (e.g., sensible heat storage density Es = 262.81 MJ/m3 for C16~CPTS; latent heat storage density E1 -146.0 MJ/m3 for C18-CRTS), were observed. Fluorescence measurements showed that the homologous Cn-CPTS ILs exhibited strong fluorescence behavior. Finally, the test of acute toxicity toward rats showed that these new ILs were less toxic than the popular [BMIm]BF4 IL.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2544-2550
Number of pages7
JournalChemistry of Materials
Volume19
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - 15 May 2007
Externally publishedYes

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