Synthesis and characterization of ionic polymer networks in a room-temperature ionic liquid

ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2012 Nov;4(11):6142-50. doi: 10.1021/am301777h. Epub 2012 Nov 5.

Abstract

Ionic liquid gels (ILGs) for potential use in ion transport and separation applications were generated via a free radical copolymerization of 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid (AMPS) and N,N'-methylene(bis)acrylamide (MBA) using 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ethylsulfate (IL) as a room temperature ionic liquid solvent medium. The AMPS and MBA monomer solubility window in the IL in the temperature range of 25 to 65 °C was determined. In situ ATR-FTIR showed near complete conversion of monomers to a cross-linked polymer network. ILGs with glass transition temperatures (T(g)s) near -50 °C were generated with T(g) decreasing with increasing IL content. The elastic moduli in compression (200 to 6600 kPa) decreased with increasing IL content and increasing AMPS content while the conductivities (0.35 to 2.14 mS cm⁻¹) increased with increasing IL content and decreasing MBA content. The polymer-IL interaction parameter (χ) (0.48 to 0.55) was determined via a modified version of the Bray and Merrill equation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Compressive Strength
  • Computer Simulation
  • Elastic Modulus
  • Ionic Liquids / chemistry*
  • Materials Testing
  • Models, Chemical*
  • Phase Transition
  • Polymers / chemistry*
  • Temperature
  • Viscosity

Substances

  • Ionic Liquids
  • Polymers