Issue 22, 2024

Alkaline stability of pendant C2-protected poly(imidazolium)s

Abstract

Non-fluorinated anion exchange polymers with sufficient ion exchange capacity, mechanical integrity and hydroxide-ion stability are required for the progression of alkaline electrochemical energy conversion devices. In this work, we present a new class of polycations, that possess C2-sterically protected imidazolium pendant groups which are incorporated via an olefinic backbone, and a synthetic route that requires no post-functionalization. The versatile 5-step synthetic route is a platform for future modifications of this family of C2-protected imidazolium-functionalised ion conducting polymers. Hydroxide-promoted degradation studies, along with DFT calculations, predict the robustness of polymers, with the benzyl-modified, C2-sterically protected imidazolium group showcasing a 8000 h half-life in 3 M NaOD/CD3OD/D2O at 80 °C. A humidity cycling degradation protocol, exposing the polymers to as low as 10 % relative humidity at 80 °C was implemented to reveal the relative chemical (in)stabilities of the polymers in extreme caustic conditions under accelerated timeframes.

Graphical abstract: Alkaline stability of pendant C2-protected poly(imidazolium)s

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
04 Meur. 2024
Accepted
14 Mae 2024
First published
16 Mae 2024

Polym. Chem., 2024,15, 2308-2317

Alkaline stability of pendant C2-protected poly(imidazolium)s

K. Fraser, A. Konovalova, T. Skalski, S. Cassegrain and S. Holdcroft, Polym. Chem., 2024, 15, 2308 DOI: 10.1039/D4PY00235K

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements