Abstract
The review considers the features of the processes of the electrochemical synthesis of nanostructures in ionic liquids (ILs), including the production of carbon nanomaterials, silicon and germanium nanoparticles, metallic nanoparticles, nanomaterials and surface nanostructures based on oxides. In addition, the analysis of works on the synthesis of nanoscale polymer films of conductive polymers prepared using ionic liquids by electrochemical methods is given. The purpose of the review is to dwell upon an aspect of the applicability of ILs that is usually not fully reflected in modern literature, the synthesis of nanostructures (including unique ones that cannot be obtained in other electrolytes). The current underestimation of ILs as an electrochemical medium for the synthesis of nanomaterials may limit our understanding and the scope of their potential application. Another purpose of our review is to expand their possible application and to show the relative simplicity of the experimental part of the work.
Highlights
Academic Editors: Gloria Víllora and Mercedes G
The purpose of this review is to demonstrate the possibilities of electrochemical methods for the synthesis of diverse nanostructures using ionic liquids as electrolytes and stabilizers of nanoparticles
It has been shown that the formation of a densely packed monolayer for [DCA]− and [BF4 ]− anions is possible only at surface charges exceeding the limit of the electrochemical stability of the corresponding ionic liquids
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. The purpose of this review is to demonstrate the possibilities of electrochemical methods for the synthesis of diverse nanostructures using ionic liquids as electrolytes and stabilizers of nanoparticles. The melting process for ionic liquids seemed similar to molecular liquids, where long alkyl chains in the substituents in the ILs cation can take different conformations, which leads to the formation of crystalline polymorphic forms. It has been shown that the formation of a densely packed monolayer for [DCA]− and [BF4 ]− anions is possible only at surface charges exceeding the limit of the electrochemical stability of the corresponding ionic liquids. This specific property of imidazolium ILs distinguishes them from classical ionic aggregates, in which the formation of ion pairs and even ion triplets is widely recognized Such an organization of the ILs structure can be used as an “entropy initiator” in the synthesis of spontaneous, well-organized and ordered nanostructures. The obtained results indicate DESs and H-bonded electrolytes with high salt concentrations are distinct from ionic liquids and present no pronounced overscreening or crowding with applied potential
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