Self-propelled chemotactic ionic liquid droplets†
Abstract
Herein we report the chemotactic behaviour of self-propelled droplets composed solely of the ionic liquid trihexyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium chloride ([P6,6,6,14][Cl]). These droplets spontaneously move along an aqueous-air boundary in the direction of chloride gradients to specific destinations due to asymmetric release of [P6,6,6,14]+ cationic surfactant from the droplet into the aqueous phase.