Ionene–surfactant complexes: temperature and humidity sensitive materials

Solid stoichiometric complexes of [3,12]-ionene and dodecyl sulfate form upon reaction of the bromide of the ionene and the silver salt of dodecyl sulfate in methanol. IR, DSC, and TG investigations indicated that the solid complexes are stable between 30 and 120 °C. TG and DSC also showed that the complexes easily take up water at ambient conditions. These samples are optically isotropic. When exposed to an increased humidity they exhibit optical anisotropy, i.e., birefringence, which is caused by the formation of a hexagonal mesogenic phase. Mesogenicity is necessarily accompanied by a further uptake of water (4–5 H₂O molecules per ionic unit), which is dependent on the relative humidity. The phase behavior as a function of temperature and controlled relative humidity was studied using birefringence measurements and polarizing microscopy.