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Solid Polymer Electrolytes Based on Ionic Graft Polymers: Effect of Graft Chain Length on Nano‐Structured, Ionic Networks
Author(s) -
Ding J.,
Chuy C.,
Holdcroft S.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
advanced functional materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.069
H-Index - 322
eISSN - 1616-3028
pISSN - 1616-301X
DOI - 10.1002/1616-3028(20020517)12:5<389::aid-adfm389>3.0.co;2-5
Subject(s) - materials science , ionic conductivity , polymer , ionic bonding , dispersity , polymer chemistry , copolymer , polymerization , polymer architecture , chemical engineering , electrolyte , ionic liquid , styrene , phase (matter) , ion , chemistry , organic chemistry , composite material , electrode , engineering , catalysis
The length of graft chains in graft polymers is controlled in order to dictate the formation of a nanochannel network of ions in a non‐ionic matrix. Graft polymers were prepared by copolymerization of styrene with poly(sodium styrene sulfonate) (PSSNa) macromonomers. The latter were prepared with controlled molecular weight and narrow polydispersity by stable free radical polymerization. Phase separation of ionic aggregates occurs to a greater extent in films prepared from amphiphilic polymers possessing longer graft chains. Films prepared from polymers containing low ion content comprise of isolated ionic domains and exhibit low ionic conductivity. Increasing the ion content with the membrane, by increasing the number density of ionic graft chains in the polymer, results in ionic domains that coalesce into a network of nanochannels, and a dramatic increase in ion conductivity is observed. The ionic network is developed to a greater extent for films based on longer ionic graft chain polymers; an observation explained on the basis of phase separation.