Ionic Liquid of Ultralong Carbon Nanotubes

The long and short of it: An ionic liquid with good thermal stability can be prepared from 100–500-nm-long multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MCNTs). The MCNTs are functionalized with a polysiloxane quaternary ammonium compound followed by a sulfonate salt. A coating of average thickness 6.5 nm comprising an ionic bilayer structure perpendicular to the nanotube surface is obtained (see TEM image).