Unpredictable miscibility

Oeiras, 23.01.2015

Researchers from the Lab of Molecular Thermodynamics have published a paper in Langmuir where they study the self-aggregation behavior and the unpredictable, total miscibility of Fluorinated Ionic Liquids in water.

Fluorocarbon compounds are present in our daily life. They are used for the development of novel compounds with uncommon and unbeatable properties. For instance, they have been involved in the formation of novel fluoropolymers, surfactants, refrigerants as well as new components in either pharmaceutical or insecticide formulations. In biological applications, fluorocarbon compounds have been developed as in-vivo gas carriers. They may be used either in liquid ventilation or artificial blood substitutions; they also present potential to become drug delivery systems. However, until now, the relevance of fluorocarbon compounds has faced an important handicap because their solubility in water and in biological fluids is commonly too low.

In this work, novel and non-toxic fluorinated ionic liquids (FILs), totally miscible in water, and thus with potential to be used in biological applications, have been investigated. The self-aggregation behavior of these functionalized ionic liquids in aqueous solutions has been characterized. They show improved surface activity and aggregation power. These perfluoroanionic amphiphilic ionic liquids tend to form distinct aggregated structures depending on their total concentration in aqueous solution. The stable self-assembled structures found in aqueous medium underlie their total solubility in water.

This work is a collaboration between researchers from ITQB and the University of Vigo (Spain).

Original Article

Langmuir, 2015, DOI: 10.1021/la503961h

Aggregation Behavior and Total Miscibility of Fluorinated Ionic Liquids in Water

Ana B. Pereiro,* João M. M. Araújo, Fabiana S. Teixeira, Isabel M. Marrucho, Manuel M. Piñeiro, Luis Paulo N. Rebelo*