Volumetric Study of Binary Solvent Mixtures Constituted by Amphiphilic Ionic Liquids at Room Temperature (1-Alkyl-3-Methylimidazolium Bromide) and Water

At room temperature, the 1-decyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide (DMImBr) is a long alkyl chain imidazolium ionic liquid miscible with water and forming a gel zone between 5 and 40% w/w H₂O. We measured the density of the liquid mixtures of water and DMImBr. We determined the apparent molar volume of the molten salt for dilute solutions. For the concentrated solutions the partial molar volume of each component was evaluated by a perturbation method. These results are shown to be substantially different from those obtained with a short chain bromide ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide (BMImBr). The amphiphilic ionic liquid (DMImBr) has been shown to form micelles and its critical micelle concentration (cmc) has been determined. Below the cmc, the Debye–Hückel limiting law for 1:1 electrolytes describes very accurately the behavior of low concentrations of the DMImBr salt in water. Above the cmc, the partial molar volume of the micellized monomer was approximately equal to the molar volume of the pure fused salt. The partial molar volume of water in these mixtures was similar to that of pure water. The concentrated solutions behave like mixtures of interpenetrated phases.