Soret Effect of Ionic Liquid Gels for Thermoelectric Conversion

Cations and anions can accumulate at the two ends of an ionic conductor under temperature gradient, which is the so-called Soret effect. This can generate a voltage between the two electrodes, and the thermopower can be higher than that of the electronic conductors because of the Seebeck effect by 1-2 orders in magnitude. The thermoelectric properties of ionic conductors depend on the ionic thermopower, ionic conductivity, and thermal conductivity. Compared with other ionic conductors, like liquid electrolytes and hydrogels, ionogels made of an ionic liquid and a gelator can have the advantages of high thermopower and high stability. Great progress was recently made to improve the ionic conductivity and/or ionic thermopower of ionogels. They can be used in ionic thermoelectric capacitors (ITECs) to harvest heat. In addition, they can be integrated with electronic thermoelectric materials to harvest heat from both temperature gradient and temperature fluctuation, which can be caused by waste heat.

Ion and Proton Transport In Aqueous/Nonaqueous Acidic Ionic Liquids for Fuel-Cell Applications-Insight from High-Pressure Dielectric Studies

The use of acidic ionic liquids and solids as electrolytes in fuel cells is an emerging field due to their efficient proton conductivity and good thermal stability. Despite multiple reports describing conducting properties of acidic ILs, little is known on the charge-transport mechanism in the vicinity of liquid-glass transition and the structural factors governing the proton hopping. To address these issues, we studied two acidic imidazolium-based ILs with the same cation, however, different anions-bulk tosylate vs small methanesulfonate. High-pressure dielectric studies of anhydrous and water-saturated materials performed in the close vicinity of T_g have revealed significant differences in the charge-transport mechanism in these two systems being undetectable at ambient conditions. Thereby, we demonstrated the effect of molecular architecture on proton hopping, being crucial in the potential electrochemical applications of acidic ILs.

Metal Sulfide Nanoparticle Synthesis with Ionic Liquids - State of the Art and Future Perspectives

Metal sulfides are among the most promising materials for a wide variety of technologically relevant applications ranging from energy to environment and beyond. Incidentally, ionic liquids (ILs) have been among the top research subjects for the same applications and also for inorganic materials synthesis. As a result, the exploitation of the peculiar properties of ILs for metal sulfide synthesis could provide attractive new avenues for the generation of new, highly specific metal sulfides for numerous applications. This article therefore describes current developments in metal sulfide nanoparticle synthesis as exemplified by a number of highlight examples. Moreover, the article demonstrates how ILs have been used in metal sulfide synthesis and discusses the benefits of using ILs over more traditional approaches. Finally, the article demonstrates some technological challenges and how ILs could be used to further advance the production and specific property engineering of metal sulfide nanomaterials, again based on a number of selected examples.

Luminescent Ionogels with Excellent Transparency, High Mechanical Strength, and High Conductivity

The paper describes a new kind of ionogel with both good mechanical strength and high conductivity synthesized by confining the ionic liquid (IL) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethane sulfonyl)imide ([Bmim][NTf₂]) within an organic-inorganic hybrid host. The organic-inorganic host network was synthesized by the reaction of methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS), tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), and methyl methacrylate (MMA) in the presence of a coupling agent, offering the good mechanical strength and rapid shape recovery of the final products. The silane coupling agent 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (KH-570) plays an important role in improving the mechanical strength of the inorganic-organic hybrid, because it covalently connected the organic component MMA and the inorganic component SiO₂. Both the thermal stability and mechanical strength of the ionogel significantly increased by the addition of IL. The immobilization of [Bmim][NTf₂] within the ionogel provided the final ionogel with an ionic conductivity as high as ca. 0.04 S cm^-1 at 50 °C. Moreover, the hybrid ionogel can be modified with organosilica-modified carbon dots within the network to yield a transparent and flexible ionogel with strong excitation-dependent emission between 400 and 800 nm. The approach is, therefore, a blueprint for the construction of next-generation multifunctional ionogels.

Co-Deposition of a Hydrogel/Calcium Phosphate Hybrid Layer on 3D Printed Poly(Lactic Acid) Scaffolds via Dip Coating: Towards Automated Biomaterials Fabrication

The article describes the surface modification of 3D printed poly(lactic acid) (PLA) scaffolds with calcium phosphate (CP)/gelatin and CP/chitosan hybrid coating layers. The presence of gelatin or chitosan significantly enhances CP co-deposition and adhesion of the mineral layer on the PLA scaffolds. The hydrogel/CP coating layers are fairly thick and the mineral is a mixture of brushite, octacalcium phosphate, and hydroxyapatite. Mineral formation is uniform throughout the printed architectures and all steps (printing, hydrogel deposition, and mineralization) are in principle amenable to automatization. Overall, the process reported here therefore has a high application potential for the controlled synthesis of biomimetic coatings on polymeric biomaterials.

First examples of organosilica-based ionogels: synthesis and electrochemical behavior

The article describes the synthesis and properties of new ionogels for ion transport. A new preparation process using an organic linker, bis(3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl)amine (BTMSPA), yields stable organosilica matrix materials. The second ionogel component, the ionic liquid 1-methyl-3-(4-sulfobutyl)imidazolium 4-methylbenzenesulfonate, [BmimSO3H][PTS], can easily be prepared with near-quantitative yields. [BmimSO3H][PTS] is the proton conducting species in the ionogel. By combining the stable organosilica matrix with the sulfonated ionic liquid, mechanically stable, and highly conductive ionogels with application potential in sensors or fuel cells can be prepared.

Local coordination and dynamics of a protic ammonium based ionic liquid immobilized in nano-porous silica micro-particles probed by Raman and NMR spectroscopy

Room temperature ionic liquids confined in a solid material, for example, nano-porous silica, are particularly propitious for energy related applications. The aim of this study is to probe the molecular interactions established between the protic ionic liquid diethylmethylammonium methanesulfonate (DEMA-OMs) and silica, where the latter consists of nano-porous micro-particles with pores in the size range of 10 nm. The changes in the local coordination and transport properties induced by the nano-confinement of the ionic liquid are investigated by a combination of Raman and solid-state NMR spectroscopy. In particular, one-dimensional (1D) (1)H and (29)Si and two-dimensional (2D) (29)Si{(1)H} HETOCR solid-state NMR are combined to identify the sites of interaction at the silica-ionic liquid interface. Pulsed field gradient (PFG) NMR experiments are performed to estimate the self-diffusion of both bulk and nano-confined DEMA-OMs. Complementary information on the overall coordination and interaction scheme is achieved by Raman spectroscopy. All these advanced experimental techniques are revealed to be crucial to differentiate between ionic liquid molecules residing in the inter- or intra-particle domains.

Facile preparation of supramolecular ionogels exhibiting high temperature durability as solid electrolytes

Facilely prepared supramolecular ionogels can remain in the gel state at high temperature and exhibit high conductivity and relatively low activation energy.

Sulfonic Acid- and Lithium Sulfonate-Grafted Poly(Vinylidene Fluoride) Electrospun Mats As Ionic Liquid Host for Electrochromic Device and Lithium-Ion Battery

Electrospun polymer nanofibrous mats loaded with ionic liquids (ILs) are promising nonvolatile electrolytes with high ionic conductivity. The large cations of ILs are, however, difficult to diffuse into solid electrodes, making them unappealing for application in some electrochemical devices. To address this issue, a new strategy is used to introduce proton conduction into an IL-based electrolyte. Poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (P(VDF-HFP)) copolymer is functionalized with sulfonic acid through covalent attachment of taurine. The sulfonic acid-grafted P(VDF-HFP) electrospun mats consist of interconnected nanofibers, leading to remarkable improvement in dimensional stability of the mats. IL-based polymer electrolytes are prepared by immersing the modified mats in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMIM(+)BF4(-)). It is found that the SO3(-) groups can have Lewis acid-base interactions with the cations (BMIM(+)) of IL to promote the dissociation of ILs, and provide additional proton conduction, resulting in significantly improved ionic conductivity. Using this novel electrolyte, polyaniline-based electrochromic devices show higher transmittance contrast and faster switching behavior. Furthermore, the sulfonic acid-grafted P(VDF-HFP) electrospun mats can also be lithiated, giving additional lithium ion conduction for the IL-based electrolyte, with which Li/LiCoO2 batteries display enhanced C-rate performance.

The role of the ionic liquid C6C1ImTFSI in the sol–gel synthesis of silica studied using in situ SAXS and Raman spectroscopy

Structural and chemical changes during the sol–gel synthesis of silica using an ionic liquid are investigatedin situand simultaneously by X-ray scattering and μ-Raman spectroscopy.

Surface effects on the structure and mobility of the ionic liquid C6C1ImTFSI in silica gels

We report on how the dynamical and structural properties of the ionic liquid 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (C6C1ImTFSI) change upon different degrees of confinement in silica gels. The apparent diffusion coefficients of the individual ions are measured by (1)H and (19)F pulsed field gradient nuclear magnetic resonance (PFG-NMR) spectroscopy, while the intermolecular interactions in the ionogels are elucidated by Raman spectroscopy. In addition, the local structure of the ionic liquid at the silica interface is probed by solid-state NMR spectroscopy. Importantly, we extend this study to a wider range of ionic liquid-to-silica molar ratios (x) than has been investigated previously, from very low (high degree of confinement) to very high (liquid-like gels) ionic liquid contents. Diffusion NMR measurements indicate that a solvation shell, with a significantly lower mobility than the bulk ionic liquid, forms at the silica interface. Additionally, the diffusion of the C6C1Im(+) and TFSI(-) ions decreases more rapidly below an observed molar ratio threshold (x < 1), with the intrinsic difference in the self-diffusion coefficient between the cation and anion becoming less pronounced. For ionic liquid molar ratio of x < 1, Raman spectroscopy reveals a different conformational equilibrium for the TFSI(-) anions compared to the bulk ionic liquid, with an increased population of the cisoid isomers with respect to the transoid. Concomitantly, at these high degrees of confinement the TFSI(-) anion experiences stronger ion-ion interactions as indicated by the evolution of the TFSI(-) characteristic vibrational mode at ∼740 cm(-1). Furthermore, solid-state 2D (29)Si{(1)H} HETCOR NMR measurements establish the interactions of the ionic liquid species with the silica surface, where the presence of adsorbed water results in weaker interactions between (29)Si surface moieties and the hydrophobic alkyl protons of the cationic C6C1Im(+) molecules.

Crystallization kinetics behavior of ionic liquid [EMIM][BF4] confined in mesoporous silica matrices

Confinement of ionic liquid (IL) in a porous silica matrix has been found to reduce (i) the dimensionality of crystallization of IL from 3D to 1D and (ii) crystallization rate.