Addition effects of imidazolium salts on mesophase structure and optical properties of concentrated hydroxypropyl cellulose aqueous solutions

Addition effects of N-alkyl-substituted methylimidazolium salts ([CnMim][X]) on the mesophase structure and lower critical solution temperature (LCST)-type phase-separation behavior of concentrated hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) aqueous solutions were investigated mainly by spectrophotometry. In the cholesteric mesophase formation, at concentrations of more than 50 wt% HPC, helical pitch (P) was confirmed to shift upward according to the chaotropic strength of X–, for example, in a manner satisfying the order of Cl oBr oNO3 oI . Organocations generally elevated P relative to the nonionic reference, the effectiveness being pronounced in the order of [C2Mim]+o[C4Mim]+o[C6Mim]+. With regard to LCST behavior, imidazolium additives raised the cloud point (Tc) in the isotropic solutions of p40 wt% HPC, whereas the Tc value of mesomorphic solutions was prone to be lowered by the addition. Discussion of these observations took into consideration the differences in the N-alkyl structure and amphiphilic nature between cationic imidazolium varieties, as well as the difference in the chaotropic strength between the counter anions. It was also exemplified preliminarily that this kind of salt-containing lyotropic system of HPC exercised an electro-optical function when coupled with an electric circuit. Polymer Journal (2010) 42, 232–241; doi:10.1038/pj.2009.338; published online 13 January 2010