Solubilization of benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX) in aqueous micellar solutions of amphiphilic imidazolium ionic liquids.

Water-soluble ionic liquids may be considered analogues to cationic surfactants with a corresponding surface activity and ability to create organized structures in aqueous solutions. For the first time, the enhanced solubility of the aromatic hydrocarbons, benzene, toluene, and xylene, in aqueous micellar systems of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium chlorides was investigated. Above a critical micelle concentration, a gradual increase in the concentration of aromatic hydrocarbons in the miceller solution was observed. This phenomenon was followed by means of the molar solubilization ratio, the micellar/water partition coefficient, and the number of solubilizate molecules per IL micelle. The molar solubilization ratio for ionic liquid micelles was found to be significantly higher when compared to that of ionic surfactants of similar chain length. The incorporation of the hydrocarbon into the micelle affects also an increase of the aggregation number.