Study of the electrical double layer structure formed in ionic liquids using quantum beam scattering techniques

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K05402
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Physical chemistry
• Research Institution: Japan Atomic Energy Agency
• Principal Investigator: Tamura Kazuhisa 国立研究開発法人日本原子力研究開発機構, 原子力科学研究部門 物質科学研究センター, 研究副主幹 (10360405)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: イオン液体 / 量子ビーム / 散乱 / 電気化学 / 電気二重層

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Ionic liquids (ILs) have conductivity without adding any electrolyte salts, a quite low vaper pressure, and wide electrochemical windows. These properties allow ILs to be used as smart electrolytes. However, the IL/electrode interface, where electrochemical reactions exactly occur, has not been still fully understood. To fully understand and control the electrochemical reactions, the behavior of the reaction field, i.e., the electrolyte/electrode interface, must be well understood. In this study, structures of electrode surface and EDL were studied using in situ quantum beam scattering techniques, i.e., surface x-ray scattering (SXS) and Neutron reflectivity (NR) measurements. NR measurements reveal that adsorbed IL molecules form layered structure. Further, in the phase transition state, orientation of IL molecules drastically changes depending on electrode potential.

Free Research Field

電気化学