7Li nuclear magnetic resonance studies of dynamics in a ternary gel polymer electrolyte based on polymeric ionic liquids

The influence of the polymeric ionic liquid (PIL) Poly(diallyldimethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl) imide) (PDADMATFSI) on the lithium dynamics was investigated in a ternary gel polymer electrolyte consisting of PDADMATFSI as stabilizing polymer, ionic liquid (1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl) imide, P14TFSI) and lithium salt (lithium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl) imide, LiTFSI). The diffusion coefficient of the lithium ions is investigated by pulsed-field-gradient NMR, the conductivity of the electrolyte is determined by impedance spectroscopy. The local lithium dynamics is characterized by Li-7 spin lattice relaxation rates (R-1). The relaxation rates are well described by Blombergen-Purcell-Pound (BPP) theory at all polymer concentrations (up to 45 mol%), implying that the Li dynamics is governed by one single motional mode. Interestingly, activation energies for this motion decrease from 20 kJ/mol to 15 kJ/mol with increasing polymer content and are independent on the salt content. We thus conclude that the polymer is interacting with the anion coordination shell, which is accompanied by a very beneficial effect on the local lithium dynamics, as the polymer PDADMATFSI reduces the Li-TFSI interactions. This result is promising for further investigations for potential use of PDADMATFSI-containing gels as electrolytes in energy storage devices. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.