Synthesis and characterisation of new polymeric ionic liquid poly(imidazolium chloride-4,6-dinitrobenzene-1,3-diyl)

Abstract

Polymeric ionic liquid poly(imidazolium chloride-4,6-dinitrobenzene-1,3-diyl) was synthesised by N-arylation of imidazole using 1,3-dichloro-4,6-dinitrobenzene and characterised by H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared, ultraviolet–visible, gel permeation chromatography, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The results showed that the desired ionic liquid polymer was achieved successfully with amorphous structure and spherulitic morphology with particle diameter of ∼200 nm. Its number average molecular weight Mn and weight average molecular weight Mw were 1517 and 2543 respectively. Furthermore, the thermogravimetric analysis, mass spectrometry and ionic conductivity analysis showed that the polymer possessed good thermal stability below 500°C and a high ionic conductivity of 28·88 μS cm−1 at room temperature compared with well known polyaniline.