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Polyurethanes Containing an Imidazolium Diol‐Based Ionic‐Liquid Chain Extender for Incorporation of Ionic‐Liquid Electrolytes
Author(s) -
Gao Renlong,
Zhang Mingqiang,
Wang ShihWa,
Moore Robert B.,
Colby Ralph H.,
Long Timothy E.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
macromolecular chemistry and physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.57
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1521-3935
pISSN - 1022-1352
DOI - 10.1002/macp.201200688
Subject(s) - ionic liquid , membrane , ionic conductivity , electrolyte , polymer chemistry , diol , ionic bonding , materials science , chemical engineering , chemistry , ion , organic chemistry , biochemistry , electrode , engineering , catalysis
Novel polyurethane (PU) cationomers are synthesized using an imidazolium diol‐based ionic liquid (IL) chain extender. A systematic comparison with a non‐ionic PU analogue reveals effect of the imidazolium cation on physical properties, hydrogen bonding, and morphology of segmented PU. Casting resulting PU solutions with various contents of IL generates novel membranes. Thermal study reveals that IL‐containing PU membranes exhibit a constant soft segment T g at −81 °C; however, the T g of imidazolium hard segments systematically shifts to lower temperatures with increasing IL content. This suggests that IL preferentially locates into the imidazolium ionic hard domains, which is also evident in small‐angle X‐ray scattering. Moreover, dielectric relaxation spectroscopy demonstrates increased ionic conductivity of PU membranes by 5 orders of magnitude upon incorporation of 30 wt% IL.