Inorganic/organic double-network ion gel membrane with a high ionic liquid content for CO2 separation

Development of an ion gel-based CO2 separation membrane composed of Pebax 1657 and a CO2-philic ionic liquid

A tough ion gel membrane containing a CO2-philic ionic liquid, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tricyanomethanide ([Emim][C(CN)3]), was developed, and its CO2 permeation properties were evaluated under humid conditions at elevated temperatures. Pebax 1657, which is a diblock copolymer composed of a polyamide block and a polyethylene oxide block, was used as the gel network of the ion gel membrane to prepare a tough ion gel with good ionic liquid-holding properties. The polyamide block formed a semicrystalline structure in [Emim][C(CN)3] to toughen the ion gel membrane via an energy dissipation mechanism. The polyethylene oxide block exhibited good compatibility with [Emim][C(CN)3] and contributed to the retention of the ionic liquid in the ion gel. The developed ion gel membrane showed a good CO2 separation performance of 1677 barrer CO2 permeability and 37 CO2/N2 permselectivity under humid conditions of 75% relative humidity at an elevated temperature of 50 °C, which corresponds to an exhaust gas from a coal-fired power plant.

High-Strength Double-Network Conductive Hydrogels Based on Polyvinyl Alcohol and Polymerizable Deep Eutectic Solvent

Conductive hydrogels feature the flexibility of soft materials plus conductive properties providing functionality for effectively sticking to the epidermis and detecting human activity signals. Their stable electrical conductivity also effectively avoids the problem of uneven distribution of solid conductive fillers inside traditional conductive hydrogels. However, the simultaneous integration of high mechanical strength, stretchability, and transparency through a simple and green fabrication method remains a great challenge. Herein, a polymerizable deep eutectic solvent (PDES) composed of choline chloride and acrylic acid was added to a biocompatible PVA matrix. The double-network hydrogels were then simply prepared by thermal polymerization and one freeze-thaw method. The introduction of the PDES significantly improved the tensile properties (1.1 MPa), ionic conductivity (2.1 S/m), and optical transparency (90%) of the PVA hydrogels. When the gel sensor was fixed to human skin, real-time monitoring of a variety of human activities could be implemented with accuracy and durability. Such a simple preparation method performed by combining a deep eutectic solvent with traditional hydrogels offers a new avenue to construct multifunctional conductive hydrogel sensors with excellent performance.

Toughening of poly(ionic liquid)-based ion gels with cellulose nanofibers as a sacrificial network

Ion gels have the potential to be used in a broad range of applications, such as in carbon dioxide separation membranes and soft electronics. However, their low mechanical strength limits their practical applications. In this study, we developed double-network (DN) ion gels composed of TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibers with hydrophobic groups (TOCNF) and cross-linked poly[1-ethyl-3-vinylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide] (PC_2im-TFSI) networks. The mechanical strength of the gel increased as the amount of TOCNF in the gels increased up to 6 wt%. Moreover, the fracture energy of the DN ion gels with 6 wt% TOCNF was found to be 19 times higher than that of the PC_2im-TFSI single network (SN) ion gels. Cyclic stress-strain measurements of the DN gels showed that the loading energy on the gels dissipates owing to the destruction of the physically cross-linked TOCNF network in the gels. The DN ion gels also exhibited a high decomposition temperature of approximately 400 °C because of the thermal stability of all components. Additionally, the fracture energy of the TOCNF/poly(ionic liquid) (PIL) DN ion gel was two times higher than that of the silica nanoparticles/PIL DN ion gel developed in our previous study [Watanabe et al., Soft Matter, 2020, 16, 1572-1581]. This suggests that fiber-shaped nanomaterials are more effective than spherical nanomaterials in enhancing the mechanical properties of ion gels. These results show that TOCNF can be used to toughen PIL-based ion gels and hence broaden their applications.

On-demand gelation of ionic liquids using photoresponsive organometallic gelators

The reversible formation of ionic liquid gels, or ionogels, upon external stimuli could improve their versatility and expand their application scope in electronic, biomedical, and micro-engineering systems. Herein, we developed organometallic compounds that release low-molecular-weight gelators upon photoirradiation, which facilitate the on-demand photogelation of ionic liquids (ILs). The chemical formulae of the gelator-coordinated complexes are [Ru(C₅H₅)L]X (L = C₆H₅NHCONHC₁₂H₂₅; X = PF₆, B(CN)₄). Each of the complexes were ILs that are easy to synthesize and miscible in ILs. By adding a small amount of the complex, various ILs were transformed to gels upon UV photoirradiation. The PF₆ salt allowed the photogelation of ILs with coordinating substituents, whereas the B(CN)₄ salt allowed the photogelation of non-coordinating ILs, albeit the reaction was slower. These gels underwent the reverse reaction and liquefied back when heated, and the photogelation was repeatable for ILs with coordinating cations.

Poly(ethylene glycol) Diacrylate Iongel Membranes Reinforced with Nanoclays for CO2 Separation

Despite the fact that iongels are very attractive materials for gas separation membranes, they often show mechanical stability issues mainly due to the high ionic liquid (IL) content (≥60 wt%) needed to achieve high gas separation performances. This work investigates a strategy to improve the mechanical properties of iongel membranes, which consists in the incorporation of montmorillonite (MMT) nanoclay, from 0.2 to 7.5 wt%, into a cross-linked poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) network containing 60 wt% of the IL 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([C2mim][TFSI]). The iongels were prepared by a simple one-pot method using ultraviolet (UV) initiated polymerization of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) and characterized by several techniques to assess their physico-chemical properties. The thermal stability of the iongels was influenced by the addition of higher MMT contents (>5 wt%). It was possible to improve both puncture strength and elongation at break with MMT contents up to 1 wt%. Furthermore, the highest ideal gas selectivities were achieved for iongels containing 0.5 wt% MMT, while the highest CO2 permeability was observed at 7.5 wt% MMT content, due to an increase in diffusivity. Remarkably, this strategy allowed for the preparation and gas permeation of self-standing iongel containing 80 wt% IL, which had not been possible up until now.