Synthesis of the first organic polymer/polyphosphazene block copolymers: Ambient temperature synthesis of triblock poly(phosphazene-ethylene oxide) copolymers

The living cationic polymerization of phosphoranimines via the use of macroinitiators permits the synthesis of a wide variety of other phosphazene-organic block copolymers. The ability of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and phosphazene-based materials to solvate metal salts is a characteristic that makes these copolymers attractive materials for use in solid-state batteries. Initial studies of [N-to-P souble bond (OCH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂ OCH₃)₂]_n analogues of the PEO-phosphazene triblocks complexed with lithium triflate show a range of room-temperature conductivities between 8×10^-6 and 2×10^-5 cm^-1 based on complex impedance analysis.