Controlling mechanical properties of ultrahigh molecular weight ion gels by chemical structure of ionic liquids and monomers

Straightforward preparation of a tough and stretchable ion gel

Ion gels, polymer networks swollen by ionic liquids, are expected to be applied to wearable devices that are tolerant to repeated stretching. High strength and excellent stretchability was achieved due to the numerous physical cross-links with abundant polymer chain entanglements in addition to a small number of immobile chemical cross-links, even though the ion gel was prepared by a facile methodology.

Controlled mechanical properties of poly(ionic liquid)-based hydrophobic ion gels by the introduction of alumina nanoparticles with different shapes

Ionic-liquid gels, also known as ion gels, have gained considerable attention due to their high ionic conductivity and CO2 absorption capacity. However, their low mechanical strength has hindered their practical applications. A potential solution to this challenge is the incorporation of particles, such as silica nanoparticles, TiO2 nanoparticles, and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) into ion gels. Comparative studies on the effect of particles with different shapes are still in progress. This study investigated the effect of the shape of particles introduced into ion gels on their mechanical properties. Consequently, alumina/poly(ionic liquid) (PIL) double-network (DN) ion gels consisting of clustered alumina nanoparticles with various shapes (either spherical or rod-shaped) and a chemically crosslinked poly[1-ethyl-3-vinylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide] (PC2im-TFSI, PIL) network were prepared. The results revealed that the mechanical strengths of the alumina/PIL DN ion gels were superior to those of PIL single-network ion gels without particles. Notably, the fracture energies of the rod-shaped alumina/PIL DN ion gels were approximately 2.6 times higher than those of the spherical alumina/PIL DN ion gels. Cyclic tensile tests were performed, and the results indicate that the loading energy on the ion gel was dissipated through the fracture of the alumina network. TEM observation suggests that the variation in the mechanical strength depending on the shape can be attributed to differences in the aggregation structure of the alumina particles, thus indicating the possibility of tuning the mechanical strength of ion gels by altering not only particle kinds but its shape.

Adaptive Ion-Gel: Stimuli-Responsive, and Self-Healing Ion Gels

Ion gels are an emerging class of polymer gels in which a three-dimensional polymer network swells with an ionic liquid. Ion gels have drawn considerable attention in various fields such as energy and biotechnology owing to their excellent properties including nonvolatility, nonflammability, high ionic conductivity, and high thermal and electrochemical stability. Since the first report on ion gels (published ∼30 years ago), diverse functional ion gels exhibiting impressive physicochemical properties have been reported. In this review, recent developments in functional ion gels that can modulate their physical properties in response to environmental conditions are outlined. Stimuli-responsive ion gels that can adaptively undergo phase transitions in response to thermal and light stimuli are initially discussed, followed by an evaluation of diverse self-healing ion gels that can spontaneously mend mechanical damage through judiciously designed ion-gel networks.

Extremely Tough, Stretchable Gel Electrolytes with Strong Interpolymer Hydrogen Bonding Prepared Using Concentrated Electrolytes to Stabilize Lithium-Metal Anodes

Extremely tough and stretchable gel electrolytes, which can be prepared by leveraging the strong interpolymer hydrogen bonding in concentrated lithium (Li)-salt electrolytes, are reported. These electrolytes can be realized by optimizing the competitive hydrogen-bonding interactions between polymer chains, solvent molecules, Li cations, and counteranions. Free polar solvent molecules, which typically impede interpolymer hydrogen bonding, are scarce in concentrated electrolytes; this feature can be exploited to prepare hydrogen-bonded gel electrolytes with unprecedented toughness. In contrast, free solvent molecules are abundant in electrolytes with typical concentrations, yielding considerably weaker gel electrolytes. The tough gel electrolyte can be used an artificial protective layer for Li-metal anodes, as it considerably enhances the cycling stability of a Li symmetric cell through uniform Li deposition/dissolution. Additionally, employing the gel electrolyte as the protecting layer significantly improves the cycling performance of the Li||LiNi_0.6 Co_0.2 Mn_0.2 O₂ full cell.

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.