Bridging oxygens, the key to the electrical behaviour improvement of an ionic liquid - glass composite

The interactions between the [BMIM][PF6] -ionic liquid- and a phosphate glassy surface is studied through calorimetric, structural and impedance spectroscopy methods. A soft solid conductor material is obtained mixing the ionic glass powder with the ionic liquid in a low proportion (2% and 4%). At microscopic level, the interactions of this ionic liquid with the glassy particle surfaces reveal the formation of new bridging oxygens. Therefore, the material electrical conductivity increases in more than four orders of magnitude. This finding uncovers the essential elements to be considered before incorporating an additional salt to develop a solid electrolyte. [Display omitted]