Stereolithography Provides Access to 3D Printed Ionogels with High Ionic Conductivity

Abstract

New ionogels (IGs) were prepared by combination of a series of sulfonate-based ionic liquids (ILs), 1-methyl-3-(4-sulfobutyl)imidazolium para-toluenesulfonate [BmimSO3H][pTS], 1-methyl-1-butylpiperidiniumsulfonate para-toluenesulfonate [BmpipSO3][pTS], and 1-methyl-3-(4-sulfobutyl) imidazolium methylsulfonate [BmimSO3H][MeSO3] with a commercial stereolithography photoreactive resin. The article describes both the fundamental properties of the ILs and the resulting IGs. The IGs obtained from the ILs and the resin show high ionic conductivity of up to ca. 0.7·10–4 S/cm at room temperature and 3.4·10–3 S/cm at 90 °C. Moreover, the IGs are thermally stable to about 200 °C and mechanically robust. Finally, and most importantly, the article demonstrates that the IGs can be molded three-dimensionally using stereolithography. This provides, for the first time, access to IGs with complex 3D shapes with potential application in battery or fuel cell technology.