Abstract
Ionic liquids have become of significant relevance in chemistry, as they can serve as environmentally-friendly solvents, electrolytes, and lubricants with bespoke properties. In particular for electrochemical applications, an understanding of the interface structure between the ionic liquid and an electrified interface is needed to model and optimize the reactions taking place on the solid surface. As with ionic liquids, the interplay between electrostatic forces and steric effects leads to an intrinsic heterogeneity, as the structure of the ionic liquid above an electrified interface cannot be described by the classical electrical double layer model. Instead, a layered solvation layer is present with a structure that depends on the material combination of the ionic liquid and substrate. In order to experimentally monitor this structure, atomic force spectroscopy (AFS) has become the method of choice. By measuring the force acting on a sharp microfabricated tip while approaching the surface in an ionic liquid, it has become possible to map the solvation layers with sub-nanometer resolution. In this review, we provide an overview of the AFS studies on ionic liquids published in recent years that illustrate how the interface is formed and how it can be modified by applying electrical potential or by adding impurities and solvents.
Highlights
Ionic liquids are defined as liquids that are composed entirely of ions [1]
“room-temperature ionic liquids (RTIL)” are understood as salts, which often contain organic ions, with melting points below room temperature [2,3]. Starting from their first discovery in 1914, they have become of central interest in fundamental and applied chemistry in recent decades, mainly because they are considered as promising alternative environmentally-beneficent solvents [4]
Cheng et al [105] reported that even on popular compact and inflexible cation [104]. This combination could exclude a regular arrangement of the imidazolium-based ionic liquids such as [EMIm][TFSI], no structured interface to mica is present if no molecules at the interface
Summary
Ionic liquids are defined as liquids that are composed entirely of ions [1]. “room-temperature ionic liquids (RTIL)” are understood as salts, which often contain organic ions, with melting points below room temperature [2,3] Starting from their first discovery in 1914, they have become of central interest in fundamental and applied chemistry in recent decades, mainly because they are considered as promising alternative environmentally-beneficent solvents [4]. Potential fields of application comprise all techniques of chemical synthesis and processing where conventional molecular solvents are employed, and mechanical engineering where ionic liquids may serve as lubricants and coatings [7]. X-rays and neutrons have beenform employed, revealing that ionic liquids mechanical the interface structure has been provided using a surface force has apparatus regular layersaccess at thetointerface [17,18]. Formed by ionic and solid provided by thisby technique are discussed
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