Bara, Jason E. (ORCID:0000000283512145)

DOE OSTI2022

Poly(ionic liquid)s with Dicationic Pendants as Gas Separation Membranes

Poly(norbornene)s and poly(ionic liquid)s are two different classes of attractive materials, which are known for their structural tunability and thermal stabilities, and have been extensively studied as gas separation membranes. The incorporation of ionic liquids (ILs) into the poly(norbornene) through post-polymerization has resulted in unique materials with synergistic properties. However, direct polymerization of norbornene-containing IL monomers as gas separation membranes are limited. To this end, a series of norbornene-containing imidazolium-based mono- and di-cationic ILs (NBM-mIm and NBM-DILs) with different connectivity and spacer lengths were synthesized and characterized spectroscopically. Subsequently, the poly(NBM-mIm) with bistriflimide [Tf2N−] and poly([NBM-DILs][Tf2N]2) comprising homo-, random-, and block- (co)polymers were synthesized via ring-opening metathesis polymerization using the air-stable Grubbs second-generation catalyst. Block copolymers (BCPs), specifically, [NBM-mIM][Tf2N] and [NBM-ImCnmIm] [Tf2N]2 (n = 4 and 6) were synthesized at two different compositions, which generated high molecular weight polymers with decent solubility relative to homo- and random (co)polymers of [NBM-DILs] [Tf2N]2. The prepared BCPs were efficiently analyzed by a host of analytical tools, including 1H-NMR, GPC, and WAXD. The successfully BCPs were cast into thin membranes ranging from 47 to 125 μm and their gas (CO2, N2, CH4, and H2) permeations were measured at 20 °C using a time-lag apparatus. These membranes displayed modest CO2 permeability in a non-linear fashion with respect to composition and a reverse trend in CO2/N2 permselectivity was observed, as a usual trade-off behavior between permeability and permselectivity.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2021

Design and Gas Separation Performance of Imidazolium Poly(ILs) Containing Multivalent Imidazolium Fillers and Crosslinking Agents

This work introduces a series of vinyl-imidazolium-based polyelectrolyte composites, which were structurally modified via impregnation with multivalent imidazolium-benzene ionic liquids (ILs) or crosslinked with novel cationic crosslinkers which possess internal imidazolium cations and vinylimidazolium cations at the periphery. A set of eight [C4vim][Tf2N]-based membranes were prepared via UV-initiated free radical polymerization, including four composites containing di-, tri-, tetra-, and hexa-imidazolium benzene ILs and four crosslinked derivatives which utilized tri- and tetra- vinylimidazolium benzene crosslinking agents. Structural and functional characterizations were performed, and pure gas permeation data were collected to better understand the effects of “free” ILs dispersed in the polymeric matrix versus integrated ionic crosslinks on the transport behaviors of these thin films. These imidazolium PIL:IL composites exhibited moderately high CO2 permeabilities (~20–40 Barrer), a 4–7× increase relative to corresponding neat PIL, with excellent selectivities against N2 or CH4. The addition of imidazolium-benzene fillers with increased imidazolium content were shown to correspondingly enhance CO2 solubility (di- < tri- < tetra- < hexa-), with the [C4vim][Tf2N]: [Hexa(Im+)Benz ][Tf2N] composite showing the highest CO2 permeability (PCO2 = 38.4 Barrer), while maintaining modest selectivities (αCO2/CH4 = 20.2, αCO2/N2 = 23.6). Additionally, these metrics were similarly improved with the integration of more ionic content bonded to the polymeric matrix; increased PCO2 with increased wt% of the tri- and tetra-vinylimidazolium benzene crosslinking agent was observed. This study demonstrates the intriguing interactions and effects of ionic additives or crosslinkers within a PIL matrix, revealing the potential for the tuning of the properties and transport behaviors of ionic polymers using ionic liquid-inspired small molecules.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗