Physical and electrochemical properties of new structurally flexible imidazolium phosphate ionic liquids

New structurally flexible 1-methyl- and 1,2-dimethyl-imidazolium phosphate ionic liquids (ILs) bearing oligoethers have been synthesized and thoroughly characterized. These novel ILs revealed high thermal stabilities, low glass transitions, high conductivity and wide electrochemical stability windows up to 6 V. Both the cations and anions of 1-methyl-imidazolium ILs diffuse faster than the ions of 1,2-dimethyl-imidazolium ILs, as determined by pulsed field gradient nuclear magnetic resonance (PFG-NMR). The 1-methyl-imidazolium phosphate ILs showed relatively higher ionic conductivities and ion diffusivity as compared with the 1,2-dimethyl-imidazolium phosphate ILs. As expected, the diffusivity of all the ions increases with an increase in the temperature. The 1-methyl-imidazolium phosphate ILs formed hydrogen bonds with the phosphate anions, the strength of which is decreased with increasing temperature, as confirmed by variable temperature ¹H and ³¹P NMR spectroscopy. One of the representative IL, [EmDMIm][DEEP], presented promising elevated temperature performance as an electrolyte in a supercapacitor composed of multiwall carbon nanotubes and activated charcoal (MWCNT/AC) composite electrodes.