Ion transport in glassy side-group liquid crystalline polymer electrolytes

Communication: Enhanced cation transport in polymer electrolytes, with cons equent improved performance in batteries and other electrochemical applicat ions, is reported. In general, ionic transport in polymer electrolytes is c losely coupled to segmental motion of the backbone, leading to severely res tricted cation mobility as the glass transition temperature T-g is approach ed. In the new side-group liquid-crystalline polymer electrolyte system des cribed here, the ionic conductivity is shown to be insensitive to T-g, with sub-T-g conductivities of similar to 10(-5) Scm(-1). An explanation for th is behavior is proposed.