Onion structures induced by hydrophilic and hydrophobic ions in a binary mixture

Phase transition is observed between one-phase disordered phase and an ordered phase with multi-lamellar (onion) structures in an off-critical mixture of D$_2$O and 3-methylpyridine (3MP) containing a salt at 85mM. The salt consists of hydrophilic cations and hydrophobic anions, which interact asymmetrically with the solvent composition fluctuations inducing mesophases. The structure factor of the composition distribution obtained from small-angle neutron scattering has a peak at an intermediate wave number in the disordered phase and multiple peaks in the ordered phase. Lamellar layers forming onions are composed of solvation-induced charged membranes swollen by D$_2$O. The onion phase is realized only for small volume fractions of 3MP (in D$_2$O-rich solvent).