Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 14, 2026

Thermal Scanning Conductometry (TSC) as a General Method for Studying and Controlling the Phase Behavior of Conductive Physical Gels
Published on: January 23, 2018
Supramolecular Mismatch Elevates the Flow Transition Temperature of Ionogels
Yihan Jia1, Yu Tan1, Xingxue Zhang1
1National Engineering Research Center for Colloidal Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, P. R. China.
None:
Ionogels, formed by integrating polymer networks with ionic liquids (ILs), are promising for flexible electronics and ionotronic devices, yet their practical application is often limited by poor high-temperature stability arising from low flow transition temperatures (Tf), which are commonly reduced upon incorporation of ILs. Here, we report a supramolecular mismatch strategy that fundamentally elevates the Tf of polyurethane-based ionogels, effectively suppressing thermal softening under heating. By introducing mismatched supramolecular chain extenders into the polymer backbone, the resulting ionogels exhibit a markedly increased Tf of up to 151°C and a substantially expanded operating temperature window approaching 200°C. Rheological measurements reveal a markedly higher loss modulus for the mismatched ionogel at elevated temperatures, indicating enhanced internal friction that stabilizes the network against thermal flow. Importantly, this strategy mitigates the disruptive effect of ILs on polymer-polymer interactions while maintaining high ionic conductivity and optical transparency. Beyond thermal stability, the ionogels also display good elasticity, self-healing capability, and stable sensing performance at elevated temperatures. This work establishes supramolecular mismatch as a powerful design principle for overcoming the intrinsic thermal limitations of ionogels, enabling their use in wide-temperature-range soft electronic and sensing applications.
More Related Videos
12:07Fabricating Degradable Thermoresponsive Hydrogels on Multiple Length Scales via Reactive Extrusion, Microfluidics, Self-assembly, and Electrospinning
Published on: April 16, 2018
06:26Orientational Transition in a Liquid Crystal Triggered by the Thermodynamic Growth of Interfacial Wetting Sheets
Published on: May 15, 2017
Related Concept Videos
Comparing Intermolecular Forces: Melting Point, Boiling Point, and Miscibility
Temporary attractive forces like dispersion are present in all molecules, whether they are polar or nonpolar. They...
Phase Transitions: Melting and Freezing
Thermal Sigmatropic Reactions: Overview
Sigmatropic shifts are classified based on an order term [i, j ], where i and j indicate the number of atoms across which each end of the σ bond migrates. Below are examples of a [3,3] sigmatropic shift in 1,5-hexadiene, referred to as...
Molecular and Ionic Solids
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...
Membrane Fluidity
Mosaic nature of the membrane
The mosaic characteristic of the membrane helps the plasma membrane remain fluid. The integral proteins and lipids exist as separate but loosely-attached molecules in the membrane. The membrane is a relatively...
Membrane Fluidity