Ion conductivity of poly(ethylene oxide)/ligand complexes with the hydrogen-bond interaction

New polymer/ligand complexes could be easily obtained due to the molecular self-assembly of carboxylic acid and hydrogen acceptor fragments through th e intermolecular hydrogen-bonding. The polymer/ligand complexes consisting of poly(ethyleneglycol)bis(carboxymethyl)ether (PEO-CA), operating as a hyd rogen-bonding donor, and pyrazine, 4,4'-bipyridine, or 1,3,5-triazine, serv ing as a hydrogen-bonding acceptor, exhibited a gel-like structure at room temperature. The high ion conductivity of the order of 10(-4)-10(-6) S cm(- 1) was achieved for the PEO-CA/ligand complexes with LiClO4. The decrease i n their conductivity corresponded to the increase in the viscosity and glas s transition temperatures of the polymer complexes, but their electrical pr operties were similar to those of conventional cross-linked PEO polymer ele ctrolytes. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.