Synthesis and lithium ion conduction of polysiloxane single-ion conductors containing novel weak-binding borates

Three borate monomers: lithium triphenylstyryl borate (B1), a variant with three ethylene oxides between the vinyl and the borate (B2) and a third with perfluorinated phenyl rings (B3) were synthesized and used to prepare polysiloxane ionomers based on cyclic carbonates via hydrosilylation. B1 ion content variations show maximum 25 °C conductivity at 8 mol %, reflecting a trade-off between carrier density and glass transition temperature (T _g) increase. Ethylene oxide spacers (B2) lower T _g, and increase the dielectric constant, both raising conductivity. Perfluorinating the four phenyl rings (B3) lowers the ion association energy, as anticipated by ab initio estimations. This increases conductivity, a direct result of 3 times higher measured carrier density. The ∼9 kJ/mol activation energy of simultaneously conducting ions is less than half that of ionomers with either sulfonate or bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide anions, suggesting that ionomers with weak-binding borate anions may provide a pathway to useful single-ion Li ⁺ conductors, if their T _g can be lowered.