New hybrid inorganic-organic polymer electrolytes based on Zr(O(CH sub(2)) sub(3)CH sub(3)) sub(4), glycerol and EMIm-TFSI ionic liquid

This report presents detailed studies on the elemental analysis, vibrational spectroscopy, thermal stability and electrical spectroscopy of two new hybrid inorganic-organic polymers which have been synthesised by a sol-gel method using glycerol and zirconium(IV)butoxide as precursors. These materials have been doped by means of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (EMIm-TFSI) ionic liquid (IL), which is insoluble in water. The elemental composition of the obtained polymers [Zr(C sub(6)O sub(5)H sub(11))] ( 1) and [Zr(C sub(11)O sub(4)H sub(31))] ( 2) has been determined by CHN analysis and by ICP-AES measurements. FT-IR and FT-Raman spectroscopy investigations have been performed to study the molecular structure of the polymers and the interactions of EMIm-TFSI with the host networks. Differential scanning calorimetry measurements show the presence of at least one glass transition temperature (T sub(g)) in both 1 and 2 materials. The broadband dielectric spectroscopic measurements have been carried out between 10 super(-2) Hz to 10 MHz from -100 not equal to to 100 not equal to with a 5 not equal to step. The conductivities of the polymers 1 and 2 have been found to be in the order of 10 super(-8) to 10 super(-11) S cm super(-1) at 25 not equal to , so they can be defined as dielectric materials. After doping 2 with EMIm-TFSI, the conductivity at 25 not equal to of the obtained complex [Zr(C sub(11)O sub(4)H sub(31))] sub(15)/(EMIm-TFSI) ( 2) increased three orders of magnitude resulting ca. 10 super(-5) S cm super(-1). The permittivity spectra revealed two relaxation bands which were attributed to the alpha relaxation modes of the polymer networks.