Synthesis and Characterization of Polymerized Ionic Liquids: Mechanical and Thermal Properties of a Novel Type of Hydrogels

• Published in: Macromolecular chemistry and physics Vol. 215; no. 8; pp. 716 - 724
• Main Authors: Bandomir, Jenny, Schulz, André, Taguchi, Satomi, Schmitt, Lena, Ohno, Hiroyuki, Sternberg, Katrin, Schmitz, Klaus-Peter, Kragl, Udo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.04.2014; Wiley; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Applied sciences; compression; Compression tests; Crosslinking; E-moduli; Exact sciences and technology; Flexibility; Hydrogels; Ionic liquids; Ions; Liquids; Mechanical properties; Moisture content; Organic polymers; Physicochemistry of polymers; Polymerization; polymerized ionic liquids (PILs); Properties and characterization; Solution and gel properties; Solvents; tensile properties; Thermal properties; Substituent effect; polymerized ionic; Mechanical properties; hydrogels; Alginates; Experimental study; Imidazolium(vinyl) salt polymer; E-moduli; Thermal stability; Ionic liquid; Colloidal gel; Polyelectrolyte; Free radical polymerization; tensile properties; Preparation; Oside polymer; Acrylamide polymer; liquids (PILs); compression; Comparative study
• ISSN: 1022-1352; 1521-3935
• DOI: 10.1002/macp.201400009

An easy and efficient route to synthesize gel materials based on polymeric ionic liquids (PILs) is presented. The radical polymerization of imidazolium (Im)‐based ionic liquids (ILs) bearing a vinyl group ([VEIm][Br], [VEIm][Ac], [VBIm][Br], [VBIm][Cl]) with crosslinker (CL) N,N′‐methylenebisacrylamide (Bis) in water results in polyionic liquid hydrogels. Thermal and mechanical properties (tensile and compression tests) are investigated and compared with two different types of hydrogels. One is a polyacrylamide (PAAm) hydrogel having covalent‐type crosslinking. The other is an alginate‐based hydrogel having ionic‐type crosslinking. Prepared IL‐hydrogel materials provide favorable flexibility, adjustable by varying the CL ratio and water content. The higher the CL ratio is, the higher the fragility of the gel matrix. The gelation time of the hydrogels depends on the alkyl chain length, as well as the size of the anion. An easy and efficient route to synthesize hydrogels based on polymeric ionic liquids (PILs) is presented. The thermal and mechanical properties are investigated using tensile and compression tests. These characteristics are compared with those of commonly used hydrogels. The prepared hydrogels based on PILs provide favorable flexibility, which can be easily adjusted by varying the crosslinker ratio and water content.