Properties of Water Confined in Ionic Liquids

The varying states of water confined in the nano-domain structures of typical room temperature ionic liquids (ILs) were investigated by 1H NMR and by measurements of self-diffusion coefficients while systematically varying the IL cations and anions. The NMR peaks for water in BF4-based ILs were clearly split, indicating the presence of two discrete states of confined water (H2O and HOD). Proton and/or deuterium exchange rate among the water molecules was very slowly in the water-pocket. Notably, no significant changes were observed in the chemical shifts of the ILs. Self-diffusion coefficient results showed that water molecules exhibit a similar degree of mobility, although their diffusion rate is one order of magnitude faster than that of the IL cations and anions. These findings provide information on a completely new type of confinement, that of liquid water in soft matter.