Ion Condensation at the Electrified Liquid/Liquid Interface

Abstract

Interfacial ion distributions underline numerous electrochemical and biological processes, including electron and ion transfer across charged biomembranes ,biomolecules,mineral surfaces, and at the liquid-liquid interface between two electrolyte solutions. Liquid-Liquid interface is formed at the boundary of aqueous solution of hydrophilic ions i.e roughly speaking water with salt in it and a polar organic solution of hydrophobic ions i.e. oil 1,2-Dicholorethane . This particular oil is heavier than the water and the ion dissolved in it is called TPFB TetraPhenylFluoroBorate. It is approximately 20 times larger than a water molecule. This picture is a visual representation of condensation of the TPFB ion at the oil-water interface that has been experimentally confirmed with X-ray reflectivity measurements at the Advanced Photon Source at the Argonne national lab.