Development of Ionic Liquid/polymer “Iono-gels” as Conducting Materials

Ionic liquids are a novel class of solvent that exhibit interesting physiochemical properties, most notably are the negligible vapour pressure, high ionic conductivity and electrochemical stability. These properties have led to investigations into the use of ionic liquids in applications for fuel cells, lithium battery electrolytes and solar cells. Central to the advancement of this technology, is the requirement that the ionic liquids become immobilised or incorporated within a solid matrix. This project will investigate the development of novel (co)polymer matrices incorporating ionic liquid-based monomers. The phase behaviour, micro-structure and mechanical and physicochemical properties will be investigated. In addition to polymer synthesis, this project will involve developing an understanding of a number of characterisation techniques such as solid-state NMR, FTIR, TEM, as well as mechanical and conductivity measurements. Responsible scientist: Idriss Blakey