Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 7, 2026
10:01
Thermal Scanning Conductometry TSC as a General Method for Studying and Controlling the Phase Behavior of Conductive Physical Gels
Published on: January 23, 2018
8.1K
Supramolecular Ionic-Liquid Gels with High Ionic Conductivity.
Aleksandra Maršavelski1, Vilko Smrečki2, Robert Vianello1
1Group for Quantum Organic Chemistry, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička cesta 54, 10000 Zagreb (Croatia).
Chemistry (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|July 17, 2015
Summary
This study reveals supramolecular ionogels exhibit enhanced ionic conductivity compared to neat ionic liquids. This conductivity increase is due to specific gelator-ion interactions, offering potential for advanced electrolytes.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Supramolecular Chemistry
Background:
- Room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) are promising electrolytes but can have limitations in conductivity.
- Supramolecular gelators offer a route to modify RTIL properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the ionic conductivity of supramolecular ionogels formed from 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([BMIm][BF4]) and a novel gelator.
- To elucidate the relationship between gelator concentration, ion mobility, and overall conductivity.
Main Methods:
- Preparation of ionogels via gelation of [BMIm][BF4] with (S,S)-bis(leucinol)oxalamide.
- Ionic conductivity measurements at varying gelator concentrations.
- Molecular dynamics simulations and quantum mechanical calculations to understand ion-gelator interactions.
Main Results:
- Low gelator concentrations resulted in higher ionic conductivity than neat [BMIm][BF4].
- Gelator affinity for [BF4](-) ions was identified as the cause, reducing ion-pairing and increasing mobility.
- Increased gelator concentration led to decreased conductivity due to matrix hindrance, but remained high.
Conclusions:
- Supramolecular ionogels can achieve higher ionic conductivity than their parent ionic liquids.
- The findings highlight the potential of these ionogels as highly conductive functional electrolytes.
- Understanding ion-gelator interactions is key to designing advanced electrolyte materials.
Keywords:
conducting materialsdensity functional calculationsgelsionic liquidssupramolecular chemistryMore Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
02:54Molecular and Ionic Solids
20.9K
Crystalline solids are divided into four types: molecular, ionic, metallic, and covalent network based on the type of constituent units and their interparticle interactions.
Molecular Solids
Molecular crystalline solids, such as ice, sucrose (table sugar), and iodine, are solids that are composed of neutral molecules as their constituent units. These molecules are held together by weak intermolecular forces such as London dispersion forces, dipole-dipole interactions, or hydrogen bonds, which...
Molecular Solids
Molecular crystalline solids, such as ice, sucrose (table sugar), and iodine, are solids that are composed of neutral molecules as their constituent units. These molecules are held together by weak intermolecular forces such as London dispersion forces, dipole-dipole interactions, or hydrogen bonds, which...
20.9K
03:13Intermolecular Forces
77.4K
Atoms and molecules interact through bonds (or forces): intramolecular and intermolecular. The forces are electrostatic as they arise from interactions (attractive or repulsive) between charged species (permanent, partial, or temporary charges) and exist with varying strengths between ions, polar, nonpolar, and neutral molecules. The different types of intermolecular forces are ion–dipole, dipole–dipole, hydrogen bonds, and dispersion; among these, dipole–dipole, hydrogen...
77.4K
01:23Theory of Strong Electrolytes
109
The interionic forces of the strong electrolytes depend on the solvent's dielectric constant, which is the ability of a solvent to store electrical energy, based on its polarizability. and the solution's concentration. In high-dielectric solvents and in dilute solutions, weak electrostatic forces keep ions apart. However, in low-dielectric solvents or concentrated solutions, stronger interionic forces may cause ions to pair up as ionic doublets despite being fully ionized. The theory of strong...
109
01:28Ionic Association
197
The ionic association is the association of oppositely charged ions in an electrolyte solution to form ion pairs. Bjerrum defined ion pairs as two oppositely charged ions whose electrostatic attraction exceeds the thermal energy of the system, typically expressed as 2kT. Electrostatic attraction depends on ionic charge, separation distance, and the dielectric constant of the medium. Thermal energy, represented by kT, reflects the tendency of ions to move independently due to molecular motion.
197
01:12Ionic Strength: Overview
3.6K
The ionic strength of a solution is a quantitative way of expressing the total electrolyte concentration of a solution. This concept was first introduced in 1921 by two American physical chemists, Gilbert N. Lewis and Merle Randall, while describing the activity coefficient of strong electrolytes. During the calculation of ionic strength (I or μ), all the cations and anions are considered. However, the concentration (c) of an ion with a greater charge number (z) has a greater contribution...
3.6K
02:21Electrolyte and Nonelectrolyte Solutions
74.9K
Substances that undergo either a physical or a chemical change in solution to yield ions that can conduct electricity are called electrolytes. If a substance yields ions in solution, that is, if the compound undergoes 100% dissociation, then the substance is a strong electrolyte. Complete dissociation is indicated by a single forward arrow. For example, water-soluble ionic compounds like sodium chloride dissociate into sodium cations and chloride anions in aqueous solution.
74.9K