ÖPG-CMD Joint Meeting 2026

Structure and Relaxation Dynamics of Ionic Liquid at Interfaces and in Confinement

Sep 24, 2026, 5:45 PM

15m

HS 05.01 (University of Graz)

3) Contributed talk NESY: Physics of Neutron and Synchrotron Radiation Sources Parallel

Speaker

Markus Mezger

Description

Ionic liquids (ILs) composed of cations with long aliphatic side chains can exhibit mesoscopic order and liquid crystalline mesophases. The solvate affinity to the ionic- and aliphatic domains of such ILs can strongly affect their interfacial structures. We employ X-ray scattering techniques to investigate these structures on the molecular length scale in bulk, near surface and in nm-confinement. Synchrotron experiments were performed at ESRF and PETRAIII.

Here, we present results from neat ILs and IL/solvent mixtures. At the surface, we observe the formation of adsorbate layers and surface induced smectic order. In confinement we follow the adsorption/desorption dynamics and structural relaxation processes.