Eur. Phys. J. E (2020) 43: 52
https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2020-11976-5

Regular Article

Electrolytic conductivity of ionic polymers in a nonpolar solvent

Department of Chemistry, University of Sheffield, Brook Hill, S3 7HF, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK

^* e-mail: gregory.smith@nbi.ku.dk

Received: 18 March 2020
Accepted: 9 July 2020
Published online: 4 August 2020

Abstract

The electrolytic conductivity of two electrolytes as solutions in the nonpolar solvent, n -dodecane, as a function of concentration has been studied. One was a small molecule electrolyte (tetraalkyl cation and a highly fluorinated tetraphenylborate anion), and the other was a macromolecular electrolyte (cation-containing poly(alkyl methacrylate) chain with the same anion). Two series of the macromolecular cation were prepared: one with entirely cation-containing molecules and the other with a small proportion (10%) cation-containing and the rest nonionic. The conductivity data were qualitatively similar for all systems, which formed both single ions and triple ions. The data from the two series of macromolecular electrolytes were particularly informative to understand some recent and counterintuitive electrokinetic data for particles that were stabilized by these polymers. Reducing the proportion of cationic chains in the stabilizer of the particles was found to increase their electrophoretic mobility. In the conductivity data in this study, reducing the proportion of cationic chains in solution was found to increase the magnitude of the single-ion equilibrium constant and suppress the formation of triple ions. These data should support the development of models to understand these electrokinetic results.