Controlling the self-assembled nanoscale ionic aggregates in single-ion conducting polymers is a crucial step toward exceptional transport properties. We report a series of precisely-segmented polyethylene-like ionomers containing sulfonate groups (PES) with Li+, Na+, Cs+, or NBu4+ counterions synthesized from step-growth polymerization. At room temperature, the PES ionomers with 23 or 48 methylene units are semicrystalline with well-defined nanoscale ionic layers with spacings influenced by the spacer length and cation. In situ X-ray scattering measurements reveal that the layered ionic aggregates in PES23Li, PES23Na, and PES23Cs transform, upon melting the PE segments, into the Ia3d gyroid morphology. The gyroidal ionic aggregates in PES23Li and PES23Na further evolve into hexagonal symmetry as the temperature increases. These order-to-order transitions in ionic aggregate morphologies were also confirmed by oscillatory shear rheology. The ion transport behavior of these PES23 polymers is strongly dependent on the ionic aggregate morphologies. Specifically, the 3D interconnected gyroid morphology of PES23Li exhibits higher ionic conductivity than the isotropic layered or hexagonal morphologies. This innovative and versatile molecular design of ionomers leads to unprecedented percolated gyroidal ionic aggregate morphologies that provide a continuous pathway for improved ion transport.

Self-assembly of segmented polyolefin ionomers: New morphologies and ion conductivity

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

[Author Benefits](https://scimeetings.acs.org/?utm_source=pubs_content_marketing&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=0320_MCF_NPI_Launch_Spring_Homepage&ref=pubs_content_marketing)

[How to use SciMeetings](https://storage.googleapis.com/dl.morressier.com/acs/SciMeetings-ACSSpring2020-HowToGuide_M3020-Final.pdf)

[Frequently Asked Questions](https://storage.googleapis.com/dl.morressier.com/acs/SciMtng_ACSNMSp2020_FAQ_M3120_Final.pdf)

ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.