The segmental dynamics of a polymer electrolyte investigated by coherent quasielastic neutron scattering

Rheology of Concentrated Polymer/Ionic Liquid Solutions: An Anomalous Plasticizing Effect and a Universality in Nonlinear Shear Rheology

An anomalous plasticizing effect was observed in polymer/ionic liquid (IL) solutions by applying broad range of rheological techniques. Poly(ethylene oxide)(PEO)/IL solutions exhibit stronger dynamic temperature dependence than pure PEO, which is in conflict with the knowledge that lower-Tg solvent increases the fractional free volume. For poly(methy methacrylate)(PMMA)/IL solutions, the subtle anomaly was detected from the fact that the effective glass transition temperature Tg,eff of PMMA in IL is higher than the prediction of the self-concentration model, while in conventional polymer solutions, Tg,eff follows the original Fox equation. Observations in both solutions reveal retarded segmental dynamics, consistent with a recent simulation result (Macromolecules, 2018, 51, 5336) that polymer chains wrap the IL cations by hydrogen bonding interactions and the segmental unwrapping delays their relaxation. Start-up shear and nonlinear stress relaxation tests of polymer/IL solutions follow a universal nonlinear rheological behavior as polymer melts and solutions, indicating that the segment-cation interaction is not strong enough to influence the nonlinear chain orientation and stretch. The present work may arouse the further theoretical, experimental, and simulation interests in interpreting the effect of complex polymer-IL interaction on the dynamics of polymer/IL solutions.

Macromolecular structural dynamics visualized by pulsed dose control in 4D electron microscopy

Macromolecular conformation dynamics, which span a wide range of time scales, are fundamental to the understanding of properties and functions of their structures. Here, we report direct imaging of structural dynamics of helical macromolecules over the time scales of conformational dynamics (ns to subsecond) by means of four-dimensional (4D) electron microscopy in the single-pulse and stroboscopic modes. With temporally controlled electron dosage, both diffraction and real-space images are obtained without irreversible radiation damage. In this way, the order-disorder transition is revealed for the organic chain polymer. Through a series of equilibrium-temperature and temperature-jump dependencies, it is shown that the metastable structures and entropy of conformations can be mapped in the nonequilibrium region of a "funnel-like" free-energy landscape. The T-jump is introduced through a substrate (a "hot plate" type arrangement) because only the substrate is made to absorb the pulsed energy. These results illustrate the promise of ultrafast 4D imaging for other applications in the study of polymer physics as well as in the visualization of biological phenomena.

Nonexponential polymer segmental motion in the presence and absence of ions: H2 NMR multitime correlation functions for polymer electrolytes poly(propylene glycol)-LiClO4

The authors measure 2H NMR multitime correlation functions to investigate the segmental motion of poly(propylene glycol) containing various amounts of the salt LiClO4. 2H NMR two-time correlation functions indicate that addition of salt affects not only the time scale of the segmental motion, but also the degree of the nonexponential relaxation behavior. To quantify the origin of the nonexponential segmental motion, the authors analyze 2H NMR three-time correlation functions. In general, nonexponential relaxation can result from homogeneous dynamics, i.e., intrinsic nonexponentiality, and from heterogeneous dynamics, i.e., existence of a distribution of correlation times G(ln tau). For the studied high and low salt concentrations, including neat poly(propylene glycol), the analysis shows that both homogeneous and heterogeneous contributions are important. 2H NMR four-time correlation functions allow the authors to measure the lifetime of the dynamical heterogeneities. For the studied salt concentrations, the rate exchange occurs on the same time scale as the segmental motion, indicating short-lived dynamical heterogeneities. To arrive at these results, the authors reconsider the interpretation of (2)H NMR three-time correlation functions. Results of analytical calculations and computer simulations show that it is necessary to extend the previous way of analysis so as to include effects due to correlated back-and-forth jumps.

Ion and polymer dynamics in polymer electrolytes PPO–LiClO4.II. H2 and Li7 NMR stimulated-echo experiments

We use 2H NMR stimulated-echo spectroscopy to measure two-time correlation functions characterizing the polymer segmental motion in polymer electrolytes PPO-LiClO4 near the glass transition temperature Tg. To investigate effects of the salt on the polymer dynamics, we compare results for different ether oxygen to lithium ratios, namely, 6:1, 15:1, 30:1, and infinity. For all compositions, we find nonexponential correlation functions, which can be described by a Kohlrausch function. The mean correlation times show quantitatively that an increase of the salt concentration results in a strong slowing down of the segmental motion. Consistently, for the high 6:1 salt concentration, a high apparent activation energy Ea=4.1 eV characterizes the temperature dependence of the mean correlation times at Tg<T<or approximately 1.1Tg, while smaller values Ea approximately 2.5 eV are observed for moderate salt contents. The correlation functions are most nonexponential for 15:1 PPO-LiClO4 whereas the stretching is reduced for higher and lower salt concentrations. This finding implies that the local environments of the polymer segments are most diverse for intermediate salt contents, and, hence, the spatial distribution of the salt is most heterogeneous. To study the mechanisms of the segmental reorientation, we exploit that the angular resolution of 2H NMR stimulated-echo experiments depends on the length of the evolution time tp. A similar dependence of the correlation functions on the value of tp in the presence and in the absence of ions indicates that addition of salt hardly affects the reorientational mechanism. For all compositions, mean jump angles of about 15 degrees characterize the segmental reorientation. In addition, comparison of results from 2H and 7Li NMR stimulated-echo experiments suggests a coupling of ion and polymer dynamics in 15:1 PPO-LiClO4.

Ion and polymer dynamics in polymer electrolytes PPO-LiClO4. I. Insights from NMR line-shape analysis

We investigate ion and polymer dynamics in polymer electrolytes PPO-LiClO4 performing 2H and 7Li NMR line-shape analysis. Comparison of temperature dependent 7Li and 2H NMR spectra gives evidence for a coupling of ion and polymer dynamics. 2H NMR spectra for various salt concentrations reveal a strong slowdown of the polymer segmental motion when the salt content is increased. The 2H NMR line shape further indicates that the segmental motion is governed by dynamical heterogeneities. While the width of the distribution of correlation times G(log tau) is moderate for low and high salt content, an extremely broad distribution exists for an intermediate salt concentration of 15:1 PPO-LiClO4. For the latter composition, a weighted superposition of two spectral components, reflecting the fast and the slow polymer segments of the distribution, describes the 2H NMR line shape over a broad temperature range. Analysis of the temperature dependent relative intensity of both spectral components indicates the existence of a continuous rather than a discontinuous distribution G(log tau). Such continuous distribution is consistent with gradual fluctuations of the local salt concentration and, hence, of the local environments of the polymer segments, whereas it is at variance with the existence of large salt-depleted and salt-rich domains featuring fast and slow polymer dynamics, respectively. Finally, for all studied PPO-LiClO4 mixtures, the 2H NMR line shape strongly depends on the echo delay in the applied echo-pulse sequence, indicating that the structural relaxation of the polymer segments involves successive rotational jumps about small angles gamma < 20 degrees .

Structural investigations of polymer electrolyte poly(propylene oxide)-LiClO4 using diffraction experiments and reverse Monte Carlo simulation

The structure of an amorphous polymer electrolyte, poly(propylene oxide) (PPO) complexed with LiClO4, has been studied using reverse Monte Carlo (RMC) simulations. The simulations require no force field but are based on experimental data only, in this case from x-ray and neutron diffraction experiments. Excellent agreement between the experimental data and the structures resulting from the RMC simulation is obtained. Samples with ether-oxygen to lithium concentrations (molar ratios) O:Li=16:1 and 5:1 were studied and compared to results of pure PPO from a previous study. We focus on the effects of the solvated salt on the structure of the polymer matrix, the spatial distribution of ions, and the correlations between the anions and the polymer chains. Analyzing the structures produced in the simulations, we find that for a concentration 16:1, the interchain distance is approximately the same as in pure PPO but more well defined. For a concentration 5:1, we find a larger and less well-defined interchain distance compared to the 16:1 concentration. This signifies that at the 16:1 salt concentration, there is enough free volume in the polymer host to accommodate the ions, and that the solvation of salt induces ordering of the polymer matrix. At the higher salt concentration 5:1, the polymer network must expand and become less ordered to host the ions. We also note, in accordance with previous studies, that the solvation of salt changes the conformation of the polymer chain towards more gauche states. The simulations furthermore reveal marked correlations between the polymer chains and the anions, which we suggest arise predominantly from an interaction mediated via cations, which can simultaneously coordinate both ether oxygens in the polymer chains and anions. Interanionic distances at 5 A, which are consistent with two or more anions being coordinated around the same cation, are also observed. On a larger scale, the RMC structure of PPO-LiClO4 16:1 clearly indicates the presence of salt-rich and salt-depleted domains having a length scale of <20 A. In view of such a heterogeneous structure of PPO-LiClO4 16:1, it is plausible that the increased ordering of the polymer matrix is due to rather well-defined structural arrangements within the salt-rich domains, and that the characteristic interchain distance in the salt-rich domains is similar to that of the pure polymer.

Dynamic Behavior of Water within a Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell Membrane at Low Hydration Levels

Protonic conduction across the membrane of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell is intimately related to the dynamic behavior of water present within the membrane. To further the understanding of water dynamics in these materials, quasielastic neutron scattering (QENS) has been used to investigate the picosecond dynamic behavior of water within a perfluorosulfonated ionomer (PFSI) membrane under increasing hydration levels from dry to saturation. Evaluation of the elastic incoherent structure factor (EISF) reveals an increase in the characteristic length-scale of confinement as the number of water molecules in the membrane increases, tending to an asymptotic value at saturation. The fraction of elastic incoherent scattering observed at high Q over all hydration levels is well fit by a simple model that assumes a single, nondiffusing hydronium ion per membrane sulfonic acid site. The quasielastic component of the fitted data indicates confined dynamic behavior for scattering vectors less than 0.7 A(-1). As such, the dynamic behavior was interpreted using continuous diffusion confined within a sphere at Q < 0.7 A(-1) and random unconstrained jump diffusion at Q > 0.7 A(-1). As the number of water molecules in the membrane increases, the characteristic residence times obtained from both models is reduced. The increased dynamical frequency is further reflected in the diffusion coefficients predicted by both models. Between low hydration (2 H2O/SO3H) and saturation (16 H2O/SO3H), the continuous spherical diffusion coefficient changes from 0.46 +/- 0.12 to 1.04 +/- 0.12 (10(-5) cm2/s) and jump diffusion indicates an increase from 1.21 +/- 0.03 to 2.14 +/- 0.08 (10(-5) cm2/s). Overall, the dynamic behavior of water has been quantified over different length scale regimes, the results of which may be rationalized on the basis of the formation of water clusters in the hydrophilic domain that expand toward an asymptotic upper limit with increased hydration.