Mechanically Robust and Ion-Conductive Polyampholyte Elastomers via Dimeric Ionic Bonding.

ABSTRACT: The development of ionic materials with high ionic conductivity and mechanical strength is challenging. This study presents a novel synthetic strategy for the development of a mechanically robust and ionically conductive polyampholyte elastomer based on ionic dimers (IDs) with strong ionic bonds between imidazolium and sulfonate. Polymerization of ID monomers with a network that forms a cross-linking moiety results in a novel polyampholyte ID elastomer (IDE). The addition of lithium (Li) salts in the IDE substantially enhances the ionic conductivity up to 0.82 mS cm^-1 with a high Li⁺ transference number (t_Li⁺) of 0.79. The mechanical properties of the IDE with Li salts are remarkable, with a tensile strength of 27.4 MPa and a Young's modulus of 211 MPa, out

SUBMITTER: Kim T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12510274 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature