Table 1 Properties of fresh (24 h post-preparation) and aged (after storage at RH = 54 ± 11% and T = 22 ± 1 °C, between 4 days and 30 days) optical ionogels C2, C8, C12, C2_a and C8_a
As-prepared | Aged | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Optical textures | Mechanical robustness | Optical textures stability | Mechanical robustness | Environmental stability | ||
Optical ionogel | LC droplets configuration | LC droplets population density (droplets/mm2) | ||||
C2 | Bipolar | 1454 ± 304 | Solid-like gel, reversibly deformable | <1 week | Softer and sticky, solid-like gel; reversibly deformable | Stable weight in 3 days |
C8 | Pre-radial and radial | 243 ± 101 | 4 weeks | Softer, solid-like gel; irreversibly deformable | ||
C12 | Radial, twisted radial and axial | 464 ± 165 | 2 years | Harder, solid-like gel; reversibly deformable | ||
C2_a | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | |||
C8_a | Pre-radial and radial | 218 ± 28 | ≥ 2.5 months | |||
