Recent reports on special nano-size structures inorganic compounds synthesized in room temperature ionic liquids (ILs) such as ZnO, TiO2, and silica, have attracted attentions to the molecular interactions and alignments mediated by the ILs during the synthetic reactions. In this work, we present exotic nano-porous structures observed in polyurea synthesized by interfacial polymerization between n-hexane (with 2,4-toluene diisocyanate, TDI) and a series of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborates and 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphates (with ethylene diamine or 1,4 diaminobutane). Depending on the ionic liquids and diamines, polymer fibrils of sizes around 50 nm forming porous structures with pore size ~ 300 nm were observed under SEM. Other morphologies including volcano, coral reef, or sphere (~100nm) were also observed. SAXS results depict the porous structures with characteristic lengths around 30~40 nm. FTIR shows the same characteristics as those synthesized without ILs, indicative of insignificant/ or no changes in the chemical structures of the products.

We also present a novel process employing a uniform electric field to control the morphology of polymer synthesized at the interface between an organic liquid and an immiscible IL. SEM and SANS data showed the morphology and microstructure of polymer varied with the intensity and the angle of the external field, which induced excess ions, changed the molecular orientations and thermal fluctuations at the interface, and affected the coarsening and aggregation of the polymeric precipitates. From a general perspective, this work imparted a new concept that may be applicable to non-charge transfer liquid-ionic liquid processes enhanced by external electric fields.