Supramolecular Order in New Polymer Electrolytes

The structure and conductivity of crystalline, semicrystalline and amorphous complexes of poly(ethylene oxide) with sodium and lithium salts is briefly reviewed and the rationale for synthesizing low-dimensional, organized polyether complexes is discussed. New polymer electrolytes derived from: chemical equation is presented where R is a long alkyl side-chain (principally -C₁₆H₃₃ and n = 5) forming both two-component complexes with lithium salts and three-component systems incorporating RX, where R is a long alkyl chain -C₁₆H₃₃ or -C₁₂H₂₅ and X is -C₂H₅, -OH, and several ethers. Conductivities increase steeply with alkyl melting (33-43°C) and at a transition occurring at 60-70°C. Conductivities 10^-3-10^-2S cm^-1 over the range 60-100°C are observed in the most highly organized systems. Langmuir-Blodgett films of the complexes (20 molecular layers) are readily deposited. They show temperature-independence of conductivity over the range 10°C to about 90°C.