Liquid structure and dynamics in the choline acetate:urea 1:2 deep eutectic solvent

We report on the thermodynamic, structural, and dynamic properties of a recently proposed deep eutectic solvent, formed by choline acetate (ChAc) and urea (U) at the stoichiometric ratio 1:2, hereinafter indicated as ChAc:U. Although the crystalline phase melts at 36-38 degrees C depending on the heating rate, ChAc:U can be easily supercooled at sub-ambient conditions, thus maintaining at the liquid state, with a glass-liquid transition at about -50 degrees C. Synchrotron high energy x-ray scattering experiments provide the experimental data for supporting a reverse Monte Carlo analysis to extract structural information at the atomistic level. This exploration of the liquid structure of ChA…