Neutron scattering studies on short- and long-range layer structures and related dynamics in imidazolium-based ionic liquids

Nemoto, Fumiya*; Kofu, Maiko   ; Nagao, Michihiro*; Oishi, Kazuki*; Takata, Shinichi  ; Suzuki, Junichi*; Yamada, Takeshi*; Shibata, Kaoru  ; Ueki, Takeshi*; Kitazawa, Yuzo*; Watanabe, Masayoshi*; Yamamuro, Osamu*

Alkyl-methyl-imidazolium ionic liquids CmimX (: alkyl-carbon number, X: anion) have short-range layer structures consisting of ionic and neutral (alkylchain) domains. To investigate the temperature dependences of the interlayer, interionic group, and inter-alkylchain correlations, we have measured the neutron diffraction (ND) of CmimPF ( = 16, 9.5, 8). The quasielastic neutron scattering (QENS) of C16mimPF was also measured to study the dynamics of each correlation. C16mimPF shows a first-order transition between the liquid (L) and liquid crystalline (LC) phases at = 394 K. C8mimPF exhibits a glass transition at = 200 K. C9.5mimPF has both transitions at = 225 K and = 203 K. In the ND experiments, all samples exhibit three peaks corresponding to the correlations mentioned above. The widths of the interlayer peak at ca. 0.2 changed drastically at the L-LC transitions, while the interionic peaks at ca. 1 exhibited a small jump at . The peak position and area of the three peaks did not change much at the transition. The structural changes were minimal at . The QENS experiments demonstrated that the relaxation time of the interlayer motion increased tenfold at , while those of other motions were monotonous in the whole temperature region. The structural and dynamical changes are characteristic of the L-LC transition in imidazolium-based ionic liquids.