Does the influence of substituents impact upon the surface composition of pyrrolidinium-based ionic liquids? An angle resolved XPS study

Abstract

The surface chemistry of a series of four pyrrolidinium based ionic liquids, [C(n)C(1)Pyrr][Tf(2)N] where n = 4-10, is investigated by angle resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ARXPS). The importance of sample purity is demonstrated and the stability of the ionic liquids under X-ray irradiation investigated. It is apparent that the surface chemistry and orientation is broadly analogous to that of similar imidazolium-based systems.