On the interfacial behavior of ionic liquids: Surface tensions and contact angles

In this work the liquid/vapour and the solid/liquid interfaces of a series of ionic liquids: 1-ethyl-3-methylpyridinium ethyl sulfate, [EMPy][EtSO4], 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ethyl sulfate, [EMIM][EtSO4], 1-ethanol-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, [C2OHMIM][BF4], 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, [BMIM][BF4], and 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, [OMIM][BF4], were investigated. The surface tension was measured in a wide temperature range, (298–453) K. The contact angles were determined on substrates of different polarities. Both on the polar (glass) and the non-polar substrates ((poly-(tetrafluoroethylene) and poly-(ethylene)), the liquids with maximum and minimum surface tensions lead, respectively, to the highest and the lowest contact angles. The dispersive, γLd, and non-dispersive, γLnd, components of the liquid surface tension, γLγL, were calculated from the contact angles on the non-polar substrates using the Fowkes approach. The polarity fraction, γLnd/γL, was compared with the polarity parameter, k, obtained from the fitting of the surface tension vs. temperature data to the Eötvös equation. Good agreement was found for the extreme cases: [OMIM][BF4] exhibits the lowest polarity and [BMIM][BF4], the highest. When compared with the polarity fractions of standard liquids considered as “polar” liquids, the ionic liquids studied may be considered as moderately polar.

Graphical abstractContact angles of five ionic liquids on substrates of different polarity.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide