Cation and Anion Transport in a Dicationic Imidazolium-Based Plastic Crystal Ion Conductor

Here we investigate the organic ionic plastic crystal (OIPC) 1,2-bis[N-(N\'-hexylimidazolium-d2(4,5))]C2H4 2PF6- in one of its solid plastic crystal phases by means of multi-nuclear solid-state (SS) NMR and pulsed-field-gradient (PFG) NMR. We quantify distinct cation and anion diffusion coefficients as well as the diffusion activation energies (Ea) in this dicationic imidazolium-based OIPC. Our studies suggest a change in transport mechanism for the cation upon varying thermal and magnetic treatment (9.4 T), evidenced by changes in cation and anion Ea. Moreover, variable temperature 2H SSNMR lineshapes further support a change in local molecular environment upon slow cooling in B0. Additionally, we quantify the percentage of mobile anions as a function of temperature from variable temperature 19F SSNMR, where two distinct spectral features are present. We also comment on the pre-exponential factor (D0), giving insight into the number of degrees of freedom for both cation and anion as a function of thermal treatment. In conjunction with previously reported conductivity values for this class of OIPCs and the Stokes-Einstein relation, we propose that ion conduction is dominated by anion diffusion between crystallites (i.e., grain boundaries). Using our experimentally determine diffusion coefficient and previously reported PF6- hydrodynamic radius (rH), viscous (" = 4.1 Pa " s) ionic liquid (IL) is present with a cation rH of 0.34 nm. NMR measurements are very powerful in elucidating fundamental OIPC properties and allow a deeper understanding of ion transport within such materials.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Chemistry

Department dc:contributor.department

Chemistry

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2013

Author dc:creator

• Kidd, Bryce Edwin

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Madsen, Louis A.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Morris, John R.
• Gibson, Harry W.

• organic ionic plastic crystal
• grain boundary
• NMR
• self-diffusion
• activation energy
• Stokes-Einstein relation

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

vt_gsexam:1172

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/23300