Surface composition of mixtures of ethylammonium nitrate, ethanolammonium nitrate, and water

Surface tensiometry of binary mixtures of ethylammonium nitrate (EAN), ethanolammonium nitrate (EtAN), and water reveals distinctive amphiphilic character for the ethylammonium cation, but not for ethanolammonium. Results also show that the surface film incorporates nitrate counterions, and that electrostatic and H-bonding interactions, rather than alkyl chain packing, determines the saturated adsorbed film structure and limiting molecular area.