Highly Frustrated Poly(ionic liquid) ABC Triblock Terpolymers with Exceptionally High Morphology Factors.

In this work, we report the successful synthesis of 17 unique compositions of a poly(ionic liquid) (PIL) ABC triblock terpolymer, poly(S-b-VBMIm-TFSI-b-HA), where S is styrene, VBMIm-TFSI is vinylbenzyl methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide, and HA is hexyl acrylate. Nine distinct morphologies were observed, including two-phase and three-phase disordered microphase separated (D2 and D3), two-phase hexagonally packed cylinders (C2), core-shell hexagonally packed cylinders (CCS), three-phase lamellae (L3), two-phase lamellae (L2), core-shell double gyroid (Q230), spheres-in-lamellae (LSI), and a three-phase hexagonal superlattice of cylinders (CSL). The LSI morphology was unambiguously confirmed using small-angle X-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy. Morphology type significantly impacted the ion conductivity of the PIL ABC triblock terpolymers, where remarkable changes in morphology factor (normalized ion conductivity) were observed with only small changes in the conducting volume fraction, i.e., PIL block composition. An exceptionally high morphology factor of 2.0 was observed from the PIL ABC triblock terpolymer with a hexagonal superlattice morphology due to the three-dimensional narrow, continuous PIL nanodomains that accelerate ion conduction. Overall, this work demonstrates the first systematic study of highly frustrated single-ion conducting ABC triblock terpolymers with a diverse set of morphologies and exceptionally high morphology factors, enabling the exploration of transport-morphology relationships to guide the future design of highly conductive polymer electrolytes.

Modifying the Electrocatalyst-Ionomer Interface via Sulfonated Poly(ionic liquid) Block Copolymers to Enable High-Performance Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells.

Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) electrodes with a 0.07 mgPt cm-2 Pt/Vulcan electrocatalyst loading, containing only a sulfonated poly(ionic liquid) block copolymer (SPILBCP) ionomer, were fabricated and achieved a ca. 2× enhancement of kinetic performance through the suppression of Pt surface oxidation. However, SPILBCP electrodes lost over 70% of their electrochemical active area at 30% RH because of poor ionomer network connectivity. To combat these effects, electrodes made with a mix of Nafion/SPILBCP ionomers were developed. Mixed Nafion/SPILBCP electrodes resulted in a substantial improvement in MEA performance across the kinetic and mass transport-limited regions. Notably, this is the first time that specific activity values determined from an MEA were observed to be on par with prior half-cell results for Nafion-free Pt/Vulcan systems. These findings present a prospective strategy to improve the overall performance of MEAs fabricated with surface accessible electrocatalysts, providing a pathway to tailor the local electrocatalyst/ionomer interface.

Synthesis and High Alkaline Chemical Stability of Polyionic Liquids with Methylpyrrolidinium, Methylpiperidinium, Methylazepanium, Methylazocanium, and Methylazonanium Cations.

Herein, we present the synthesis of five styrene-based poly(ionic liquids) (PILs) containing (covalently linked) saturated N-heterocyclic cations with various ring sizes (i.e., methylpyrrolidinium, methylpiperidinium, methylazepanium, methylazocanium, and methylazonanium). High alkaline chemical stability was confirmed by 1H NMR spectroscopy after 4 weeks in 40 mol equiv of KOH (1.0 M KOH in D2O) at 80 °C for PILs with 5-, 6-, 7-, and 8-membered ring cations; a requirement for polymer electrolyte separators in long-lasting alkaline fuel cells. Additionally, ion conductivity of PILs increased by 4 orders of magnitude with increasing water content, where a master percolation power law curve was observed, that is, similar conductivity versus water volume fraction for all PILs, regardless of cation size.

Sulfonated Polymerized Ionic Liquid Block Copolymers.

The successful synthesis of a new diblock copolymer, referred to as sulfonated polymerized ionic liquid (PIL) block copolymer, poly(SS-Li-b-AEBIm-TFSI), is reported, which contains both sulfonated blocks (sulfonated styrene: SS) and PIL blocks (1-[(2-acryloyloxy)ethyl]-3-butylimidazolium: AEBIm) with both mobile cations (lithium: Li(+) ) and mobile anions (bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide: TFSI(-) ). Synthesis consists of polymerization via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer, followed by post-functionalization reactions to covalently attach the imidazolium cations and sulfonic acid anions to their respective blocks, followed by ion exchange metathesis resulting in mobile Li(+) cations and mobile TFSI(-) anions. Solid-state films containing 1 m Li-TFSI salt dissolved in ionic liquid result in an ion conductivity of >1.5 mS cm(-1) at 70 °C, where small-angle X-ray scattering data indicate a weakly ordered microphase-separated morphology. These results demonstrate a new ion-conducting block copolymer containing both mobile cations and mobile anions.

Polymerized ionic liquid diblock copolymers: impact of water/ion clustering on ion conductivity.

Herein, we examine the synergistic impact of both ion clustering and block copolymer morphology on ion conductivity in two polymerized ionic liquid (PIL) diblock copolymers with similar chemistries but different side alkyl spacer chain lengths (ethyl versus undecyl). When saturated in liquid water, water/ion clusters were observed only in the PIL block copolymer with longer alkyl side chains (undecyl) as evidenced by both small-angle neutron scattering and intermediate-angle X-ray scattering, i.e., water/ion clusters form within the PIL microdomain under these conditions. The resulting bromide ion conductivity in the undecyl sample was higher than the ethyl sample (14.0 mS cm(-1)versus 6.1 mS cm(-1) at 50 °C in liquid water) even though both samples had the same block copolymer morphology (lamellar) and the undecyl sample had a lower ion exchange capacity (0.9 meq g(-1)versus 1.4 meq g(-1)). No water/ion clusters were observed in either sample under high humidity or dry conditions. The resulting ion conductivity in the undecyl sample with lamellar morphology was significantly higher in the liquid water saturated state compared to the high humidity state (14.0 mS cm(-1)versus 4.2 mS cm(-1)), whereas there was no difference in ion conductivity in the ethyl sample when comparing these two states. These results show that small chemical changes to ion-containing block copolymers can induce water/ion clusters within block copolymer microdomains and this can subsequently have a significant effect on ion transport.

Binder-free three-dimensional high energy density electrodes for ionic-liquid supercapacitors.

We demonstrate a facile methodology to fabricate binder-free porous carbon nanofiber electrodes for room temperature ionic-liquid supercapacitors. The device provides an energy density of 80 W h kg(-1) based on the mass of two electrodes while retaining the high rate capability of supercapacitors with near-ideal CV curves at a high scan rate of 200 mV s(-1).

Prediction and validation of diffusion coefficients in a model drug delivery system using microsecond atomistic molecular dynamics simulation and vapour sorption analysis.

Diffusion of small to medium sized molecules in polymeric medical device materials underlies a broad range of public health concerns related to unintended leaching from or uptake into implantable medical devices. However, obtaining accurate diffusion coefficients for such systems at physiological temperature represents a formidable challenge, both experimentally and computationally. While molecular dynamics simulation has been used to accurately predict the diffusion coefficients, D, of a handful of gases in various polymers, this success has not been extended to molecules larger than gases, e.g., condensable vapours, liquids, and drugs. We present atomistic molecular dynamics simulation predictions of diffusion in a model drug eluting system that represent a dramatic improvement in accuracy compared to previous simulation predictions for comparable systems. We find that, for simulations of insufficient duration, sub-diffusive dynamics can lead to dramatic over-prediction of D. We present useful metrics for monitoring the extent of sub-diffusive dynamics and explore how these metrics correlate to error in D. We also identify a relationship between diffusion and fast dynamics in our system, which may serve as a means to more rapidly predict diffusion in slowly diffusing systems. Our work provides important precedent and essential insights for utilizing atomistic molecular dynamics simulations to predict diffusion coefficients of small to medium sized molecules in condensed soft matter systems.

Water clustering in glassy polymers.

In this study, water solubility and water clustering in several glassy polymers, including poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), poly(styrene) (PS), and poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP), were measured using both quartz spring microbalance (QSM) and Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) spectroscopy. Specifically, QSM was used to determine water solubility, while FTIR-ATR spectroscopy provided a direct, molecular-level measurement of water clustering. The Flory-Huggins theory was employed to obtain a measure of water-polymer interaction and water solubility, through both prediction and regression, where the theory failed to predict water solubility in both PMMA and PVP. Furthermore, a comparison of water clustering between direct FTIR-ATR spectroscopy measurements and predictions from the Zimm-Lundberg clustering analysis produced contradictory results. The failure of the Flory-Huggins theory and Zimm-Lundberg clustering analysis to describe water solubility and water clustering, respectively, in these glassy polymers is in part due to the equilibrium constraints under which these models are derived in contrast to the nonequilibrium state of glassy polymers. Additionally, FTIR-ATR spectroscopy results were compared to temperature-dependent diffusivity data, where a correlation between the activation energy for diffusion and the measured water clustering was observed.

Ion dynamics in porous carbon electrodes in supercapacitors using in situ infrared spectroelectrochemistry.

Electrochemical double layer capacitors (EDLCs), or supercapacitors, rely on electrosorption of ions by porous carbon electrodes and offer a higher power and a longer cyclic lifetime compared to batteries. Ionic liquid (IL) electrolytes can broaden the operating voltage window and increase the energy density of EDLCs. Herein, we present direct measurements of the ion dynamics of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis((trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl)imide in an operating EDLC with electrodes composed of porous nanosized carbide-derived carbons (CDCs) and nonporous onion-like carbons (OLCs) with the use of in situ infrared spectroelectrochemistry. For CDC electrodes, IL ions (both cations and anions) were directly observed entering and exiting CDC nanopores during charging and discharging of the EDLC. Conversely, for OLC electrodes, IL ions were observed in close proximity to the OLC surface without any change in the bulk electrolyte concentration during charging and discharging of the EDLC. This provides experimental evidence that charge is stored on the surface of OLCs in OLC EDLCs without long-range ion transport through the bulk electrode. In addition, for CDC EDLCs with mixed electrolytes of IL and propylene carbonate (PC), the IL ions were observed entering and exiting CDC nanopores, while PC entrance into the nanopores was IL concentration dependent. This work provides direct experimental confirmation of EDLC charging mechanisms that previously were restricted to computational simulations and theories. The experimental measurements presented here also provide deep insights into the molecular level transport of IL ions in EDLC electrodes that will impact the design of the electrode materials' structure for electrical energy storage.

High Hydroxide Conductivity in Polymerized Ionic Liquid Block Copolymers.

Herein, we report a polymerized ionic liquid diblock copolymer with high hydroxide conductivity and nanoscale morphology. Surprisingly, the conductivity is not only higher (over an order of magnitude) than its random copolymer analog at the same ion and water content, but also higher than its homopolymer analog, which has a higher ion and water content than the block copolymer. These results should have a significant impact on low-cost (platinum-free), long-lasting, solid-state alkaline fuel cells.

Tuning ion conducting pathways using holographic polymerization.

Polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs) with high and controlled ionic conductivity are important for energy-related applications, such as solid-state batteries and fuel cells. Herein we disclose a new strategy to fabricate long-range ordered PEMs with tunable ion conducting pathways using a holographic polymerization (HP) method. By incorporating polymer electrolyte into the carefully selected HP system, electrolyte layers/channels with length scales of a few tens of nanometers to micrometers can be formed with controlled orientation and anisotropy; ionic conductivity anisotropy as high as 37 has been achieved.

Liquid water transport in polylactide homo and graft copolymers.

The successful design of new biodegradable, renewable resource plastics as replacements to commodity barrier plastics would benefit from an accurate measurement of sorption and diffusion of liquids. In this study, the diffusion of liquid water in amorphous polylactide [PLA] and a PLA graft copolymer, poly(1,5-cyclooctadiene-co-5-norbornene-2-methanol-graft-dl-lactide) [PCNL], was examined with time-resolved Fourier transform infrared attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) spectroscopy. Non-Fickian behavior was observed for all experiments, indicated by a slow approach to steady state due to diffusion and polymer relaxation occurring on similar time scales. This non-Fickian behavior highlights the variability of the sorption isotherms reported in the literature, where others have collected nonequilibrium sorption behavior (instead of true steady-state equilibrium sorption) at different time points and film thicknesses. The dynamic infrared data provided direct evidence for both water diffusion and water-induced polymer relaxation, where both were quantified and regressed to a diffusion-relaxation model to determine the diffusion coefficient and the polymer relaxation time constant. In addition to the successful measurement and modeling of the diffusion-relaxation phenomena for diffusion of a liquid in a nonequilibrium state glassy polymer, this study also determined that the diffusivity of water in the PLA graft copolymer (with only 5 wt % rubber) was 3-fold lower than in the PLA homopolymer.

Chemical bath deposition of ZnO nanowires at near-neutral pH conditions without hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA): understanding the role of HMTA in ZnO nanowire growth.

Chemical bath deposition (CBD) is an inexpensive and reproducible method for depositing ZnO nanowire arrays over large areas. The aqueous Zn(NO(3))(2)-hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) chemistry is one of the most common CBD chemistries for ZnO nanowire synthesis, but some details of the reaction mechanism are still not well-understood. Here, we report the use of in situ attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy to study HMTA adsorption from aqueous solutions onto ZnO nanoparticle films and show that HMTA does not adsorb on ZnO. This result refutes earlier claims that the anisotropic morphology arises from HMTA adsorbing onto and capping the ZnO {10 1 0} faces. We conclude that the role of HMTA in the CBD of ZnO nanowires is only to control the saturation index of ZnO. Furthermore, we demonstrate the first deposition of ZnO nanowire arrays at 90 °C and near-neutral pH conditions without HMTA. Nanowires were grown using the pH buffer 2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid (MES) and continuous titratation with KOH to maintain the same pH conditions where growth with HMTA occurs. This semi-batch synthetic method opens many new opportunities to tailor the ZnO morphology and properties by independently controlling temperature and pH.

Super proton conductive high-purity nafion nanofibers.

In this paper, we report the high proton conductivity of a single high-purity Nafion nanofiber (1.5 S/cm), which is an order of magnitude higher than the bulk Nafion film ( approximately 0.1 S/cm). We also observe a nanosize effect, where proton conductivity increases sharply with decreasing fiber diameter. X-ray scattering provides a rationale for these findings, where an oriented ionic morphology was observed in the nanofiber in contrast to the isotropic morphology in the bulk film. This work also demonstrates the successful fabrication of high-purity Nafion nanofibers ( approximately 99.9 wt %) via electrospinning and higher humidity sensitivity for nanofibers compared to the bulk. These results should have a significant impact on fuel cells and sensors.

Diffusion of water in Nafion using time-resolved Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy.

Hydrogen fuel cells are attractive alternative power sources for applications such as transportation; however, fuel cell performance is a strong function of water equilibrium content and water sorption and desorption kinetics in polymer electrolyte membranes (e.g., Nafion). Although similar water sorption isotherms for Nafion have been reproduced in many laboratories, reported diffusion coefficients of water in Nafion vary by 4 orders of magnitude. In this study, sorption and desorption dynamics of water vapor in Nafion were measured as a function of water vapor activity and flow rate using time-resolved Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) spectroscopy. Both integral and differential experiments were performed, where integral experiments consisted of increasing the vapor activity from 0% RH to one of five values (22, 43, 56, 80, or 100% RH), while in differential experiments the activity was sequentially increased in smaller steps from 0 to 22 to 43 to 56 to 80 to 100% RH. For integral experiments, non-Fickian behavior was observed at both low and high vapor activities, while Fickian behavior was observed at moderate vapor activities. For differential experiments, Fickian behavior was observed at all vapor activities except at low vapor activities (0-22% RH). Sorption kinetics was found to be a function of flow rate, where mass transfer resistance at the vapor/polymer interface was significant at low flow rates but was insignificant at high flow rates. Accurate sorption and desorption diffusion coefficients were calculated in this study (measured at high flow rates with no mass transfer resistance) and were similar, on the order of 10(-7) cm(2)/s, and weak functions of water vapor activity.

Diffusion and sorption of methanol and water in Nafion using time-resolved Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy.

Direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) are promising portable power sources. However, their performance diminishes significantly because of high methanol crossover (flux) in the polymer electrolyte membrane (e.g., Nafion 117) at the desired stoichiometric methanol feed concentration. In this study, the diffusion and sorption of methanol and water in Nafion 117 were measured using time-resolved Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) spectroscopy. This technique is unique because of its ability to measure multicomponent diffusion and sorption within a polymer on a molecular level in real time as function of concentration. Both the effective mutual diffusion coefficients and concentrations of methanol and water in Nafion 117 were determined with time-resolved FTIR-ATR spectroscopy as a function of methanol solution concentration. The methanol flux, calculated from FTIR-ATR, matched that determined from a conventional technique (permeation cell) and increased by almost 3 orders of magnitude over the methanol solution concentration range studied (0.1-16 M). Furthermore, the data obtained in this study reveal that the main contribution to the increase in methanol flux is due to methanol sorption in the membrane.