Probing Structural Origins of Heterogeneity in Deep Eutectic Solvents

Alkylamide-based deep eutectic solvents (DES) represent a novel class of solvents that have recently garnered significant attention for their versatile applications in various industrial processes. Despite their remarkable characteristics, the structural organization of these DES and its ramifications on the transport properties remains a puzzle. Recent observations have revealed a significantly non-linear and scale-dependent relationship between the Stokes-Einstein Breakdown (SEB) and dynamical heterogeneity, likely stemming from scale-dependent spatial heterogeneity. At the molecular scale, this heterogeneity is suggested to be linked with the creation of complexes and hydrogen bonds, while at larger length scales, it emerges from nanoscale spatial segregation. To address this enigmatic relationship, our study aims to investigate the structural landscape of DES across a wide range of length scales using neutron diffraction. This research seeks to provide insights that bridge the gap in our understanding of the intricate interplay between structural & dynamical heterogeneity and SEB.