Magnetic microemulsions based on magnetic ionic liquids

Abstract

Microemulsions with magnetic properties were formed by employing a magnetic room temperature ionic liquid (MRTIL) as polar phase, cyclohexane as oil, and an appropriate mixture of ionic surfactant and decanol as a cosurfactant. By means of small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and electric conductivity the microemulsion structure could be confirmed, where the classical structural sequence of oil-continuous–bicontinuous–polar phase continuous is observed with increasing ratio [polar phase]/[oil]. Accordingly a maximum of the structural size is observed at about equal volumes of oil and MRTIL contained. Therefore this system is structurally the same as normal microemulsions but with the magnetic properties added to it by the incorporation into the systems formulation.