Imidazolium-based poly(ionic liquid)/ionic liquid solutions: Rheology, structuration and ionic transport properties

RAFT-made poly(ionic liquid) chains (PIL), poly(1-[2-acryloylethyl]-3-methylimidazolium bromide) (Poly [AEmim][Br]), have been mixed with a ionic liquid (IL), namely butylmethylimidazolium chloride ([C4mim][Cl].) The similarities in terms of structure and polarity these molecular macromolecular imidazolium derivatives led to homogeneous transparent solutions. influence the chain molar mass concentration was examined through rheology investigation. It established that steady-shear viscosity solutions, viscoelastic properties can be finely tuned by two parameters temperature. thermal-dependence rheological features allowed for determining high activation energies (Ea) (around 80 kJ/mol), compared analogous PIL aqueous Such Ea values reflect cohesion PIL/IL related formation multiple strong interactions, such as hydrogen bonds, van der Waals forces Coulomb interactions between species. Wide-angle small-angle X-ray scattering experiments well scanning electron microscopy analysis evidenced multi-scale local homogeneity which additionally exhibit conductivity (ca. 10−3 S/cm at 30 °C), measured broadband dielectric spectroscopy.