Spectral insights into gelation microdynamics of PNIPAM in an ionic liquid

The gelation microdynamic mechanism of PNIPAM in a ionic liquid, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([C(2)mim][NTf(2)]), is investigated by FTIR spectroscopy in combination with two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2Dcos) and perturbation correlation moving window (PCMW) technique for the first time. Appreciable changes in band frequencies and shapes are observed in the ν(N-H) and ν(C═O) regions, indicating the formation of new interactions between the ionic liquid and PNIPAM and the transformation of interior interaction between polymer chains during gelation. In particular, the variation of the ion environment with the relative change of the isolated and associated components of [C(2)mim][NTf(2)] on the sol-to-gel transition of PNIPAM is revealed by 2DIR analysis to the ν(C-H) region of imidazole ring. Upon cooling, the side chains of PNIPAM experience a changing process from dissociation of the interaction with ionic liquid to formation of N-H···O═C hydrogen bonding, then polymer shrinks from the side chains to backbone, followed by the final immobilization of the associated species in polymer network. Meanwhile, the gelation is actually a desolvation process upon the variation of ion environment.