Tetracyanocyclopentadienide-Based Stable Poly(aromatic) Anions

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry

Background:

• Polyelectrolytes are polymers with ionized functional groups, crucial for various applications.
• While many ionized groups exist, stable aromatic anions in polyelectrolytes are underexplored.
• Aromatic anions offer potential for enhanced material properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize novel polyelectrolytes incorporating a stable aromatic anion.
• To investigate the ionic conductivity and thermal stability of these new materials.
• To explore their application in polymer ion complexes for improved performance.

Main Methods:

• Ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) to synthesize polynorbornene-based electrolytes with tetracyanocyclopentadienide (PNb-TCCp).
• Controlled molecular weight and low polydispersity achieved during polymerization.
• Salt metathesis to form polyion complexes with doped poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT).

Main Results:

• Successfully synthesized PNb-TCCp with controllable molecular weight and low polydispersity.
• Achieved high ionic conductivity of 4.5 × 10^-5 S/cm in PNb-TCCp thin films.
• Demonstrated enhanced thermal stability of PEDOT:PNb-TCCp ion complexes, retaining conductivity up to 180 °C.

Conclusions:

• Stable aromatic anions can be effectively incorporated into polymer electrolytes.
• PNb-TCCp exhibits promising ionic conductivity and thermal stability.
• The developed polyion complexes show potential for high-performance applications requiring thermal robustness.