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Updated: Jan 26, 2026

Synthesis of Ionic Liquid Based Electrolytes, Assembly of Li-ion Batteries, and Measurements of Performance at High Temperature
Published on: December 20, 2016
Water-Induced Breaking of the Coulombic Ordering in a Room-Temperature Ionic Liquid Metal Complex
Tomoaki Hiraoka1, Ryo Ohtani1, Masaaki Nakamura1
1Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, 860-8555, Japan.
Abstract:
Control of ion arrangements in ionic liquids represents a major challenge owing to the presence of the predominant coulombic interactions between cationic and anionic ion species that forms the coulombic ordering. Here, water-induced ion rearrangement in a room-temperature ionic liquid (RT-IL) metal complex, (1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium)2 [MnN(CN)4 ], is demonstrated through coordinative interactions between anions. Solidification occurred, which was associated with the formation of a "separated" structure consisting of cation columns and anionic cyanide-bridged one-dimensional coordination polymers. The energy diagram is in accord with the resultant RT-IL incorporating mononuclear [MnN(CN)4 ]2- molecules being a kinetic phase stabilized by inter-ion repulsions of the anionic divalent metal complex moieties. Water acts to decrease the coulombic interactions, including repulsion, giving rise to breaking of the coulombic ordering arising from coordination bond formation in the IL phase.
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