Comprehensive Computational and Experimental Analysis of Biomaterial toward the Behavior of Imidazolium-Based Ionic Liquids: An Interplay between Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Interactions

To provide insights into the aggregation behavior, hydration tendency and variation in phase transition temperature produced by the addition of ionic liquids (ILs) to poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) aqueous solution, systematic physicochemical studies, and molecular dynamic simulations were carried out. The influence of ILs possessing the same [Cl]− anion and a set of cations [Cnmim]+ with increasing alkyl chain length such as 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ([Emim]+), 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium ([Amim]+), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium ([Bmim]+), 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium ([Hmim]+), 1-benzyl-3-methylimidazolium ([Bzmim]+), and 1-decyl-3-methylimidazolium ([Dmim]+) on the phase transition of PNIPAM was monitored by the aid of UV–visible absorption spectra, fluorescence intensity spectra, viscosity (η), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Furthermore, to interpret the direct images and surface morphologies of the PNIPAM–IL aggregates, we performed field emis...