Conductivity in Ionic Liquids: Decoupling of ions diffusion from structural relaxation

离子液体是一类相对较新的材料，对于从电池和燃料电池到“绿色”溶剂和生物技术的各种应用都很重要。这些液体的独特性质（例如离子传导，极低的蒸气压）使它们在未来的可持续能源应用和环境友好化学中具有巨大的潜力。由于可能的组成离子种类繁多，这类材料可能代表数百万种化学性质不同的液体。这种多样性为任何所需应用的离子液体性质的微调提供了巨大的机会。然而，这些材料的合理设计需要对其化学结构和宏观性质之间的关系有基本的了解。特别是，了解控制分子运动，离子电导率和粘度的参数对于离子液体的许多应用至关重要。该奖项支持田纳西大学诺克斯维尔的Alexei Sokolov教授及其研究小组研究控制离子液体中离子电导率和动力学的微观机制。该研究计划利用介电光谱、光和中子散射研究以及粘度测量相结合的方法。利用他们在玻璃形成液体和聚合物动力学方面的专业知识，Sokolov教授和他的研究小组希望全面描述离子液体中离子电导率的机制，其对化学结构，离子大小和阳离子-阴离子相互作用的依赖性。他们还希望他们的工作结果能够加深对离子液体动力学的理解，并揭示库仑相互作用在这类新材料结构弛豫中的作用。室温离子液体为当前和未来的可持续能源和绿色化学应用提供了具有巨大潜力的新材料。了解这些材料中的离子运动和结构弛豫对于合理设计和合成具有特定应用所需性能的新材料至关重要。该项目的重点是对控制离子液体宏观性质的分子水平机制的基本理解。这些结果可能会导致电池，超级电容器和其他电能存储应用更有效的电解质的发展。未来技术专家的教育是拟议计划的重要组成部分。 研究生和本科生积极参与这项研究。还计划开展外联活动，从代表性不足的群体和K-12学生中招募未来的科学家。该项目还促进了与橡树岭国家实验室的国家多用户设施的积极合作。

Ionic liquids present a relatively new class of materials important for great variety of applications, from batteries and fuel cells, to "green" solvents and bio-technologies. Unique properties of these liquids (e.g. ionic conduction, extremely low vapor pressure) give them significant potential for use in future sustainable energy applications and environmentally friendly chemistry. Due to large variety of possible constituent ions, this class of materials potentially represents millions of chemically different liquids. This diversity opens tremendous opportunity for fine tuning of the ionic liquids properties for any desired applications. However, rational design of these materials requires fundamental understanding of the relationship between their chemical structure and macroscopic properties. In particular, understanding parameters that control molecular motions, ionic conductivity and viscosity is crucial for many applications of ionic liquids. This award supports Prof. Alexei Sokolov of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and his research group to study the microscopic mechanisms controlling ionic conductivity and dynamics in ionic liquids. The research plan utilizes a combination of dielectric spectroscopy, light and neutron scattering studies and viscosity measurements. Using their expertise in dynamics of glass forming liquids and polymers, Prof. Sokolov and his research group expect to develop a comprehensive description of the mechanism of ionic conductivity in ionic liquids, its dependence on chemical structure, size of the ions and cation-anion interactions. They also expect the results of their work to deepen understanding of the dynamics of ionic liquids and to reveal the role of Coulombic interactions in structural relaxation of this new class of materials.Room temperature ionic liquids present new class of materials with significant potential for use in current and future sustainable energy and green chemistry applications. Understanding ionic motions and structural relaxation in these materials is crucial for rational design and synthesis of new materials with properties desired for particular applications. This project focuses on fundamental understanding of the molecular level mechanisms controlling the macroscopic properties of ionic liquids. The results may lead to developments of more efficient electrolytes for batteries, supercapacitors and other electrical energy storage applications. Education of specialists for future technologies is a significant part of the proposed program. Graduate and undergraduate students are actively involved in this research. Outreach activities to recruit future scientists from underrepresented groups and K-12 students are also planned. This project also promotes active collaboration with national multi-user facilities at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.