Synthesis and proton conductivity studies of azole functional organic electrolytes

Abstract

As an attempt to produce azole functional proton conductors, organic electrolytes with triazole and tetrazole functional groups were synthesized via substitution reaction of 1,3,5-benzenetricarbonyl trichloride with aminotriazole and aminotetrazole. The samples were doped with triflic acid with molar ratios of 0.25 and 0.50. FTIR, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and elemental analysis were used to characterize the resulting materials. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the samples are thermally stable up to 150 °C. The effect of acid doping on proton conductivity was investigated with impedance spectrometer. Both pure samples and the doped ones revealed high proton conductivity. In anhydrous conditions (TMA)-TriTA0.50 and TMA-TetTA0.50 have proton conductivities of 1.8 and 19 mS/cm at 150 °C, respectively. Solid-state NMR studies revealed that there are three different types of hydrogen-bonded acidic proton in the systems. Moreover, these different types of acidic protons present at different ratio in triazole and tetrazole systems.