Solid-state rigid-rod polymer composite electrolytes with nanocrystalline lithium ion pathways.

A critical challenge for next-generation lithium-based batteries lies in development of electrolytes that enable thermal safety along with the use of high-energy-density electrodes. We describe molecular ionic composite electrolytes based on an aligned liquid crystalline polymer combined with ionic liquids and concentrated Li salt. This high strength (200 MPa) and non-flammable solid electrolyte possesses outstanding Li conductivity (1 mS cm at 25 °C) and electrochemical stability (5.

Irreversible Shear-Activated Gelation of a Liquid Crystalline Polyelectrolyte.

We report irreversible, shear-activated gelation in liquid crystalline solutions of a rigid polyelectrolyte that forms rodlike assemblies (rods) in salt-free solution. At rest, the liquid crystalline solutions are kinetically stable against gelation and exhibit low viscosities. Under steady shear at, or above, a critical shear rate, a physically cross-linked, nematic gel network forms due to linear growth and branching of the rods.

Double helical conformation and extreme rigidity in a rodlike polyelectrolyte.

The ubiquitous biomacromolecule DNA has an axial rigidity persistence length of ~50 nm, driven by its elegant double helical structure. While double and multiple helix structures appear widely in nature, only rarely are these found in synthetic non-chiral macromolecules. Here we report a double helical conformation in the densely charged aromatic polyamide poly(2,2'-disulfonyl-4,4'-benzidine terephthalamide) or PBDT.