Maximizing Polarizability with Zwitterions

ORAL

Abstract

Covalently bonding cations and anions into a single small molecule called a zwitterion, results in an exceptionally large dipole that is controlled by the length of the spacer between anion and cation. While commercially available zwitterions have high melting points, we find that adding ethylene oxide units to the tail of an imidazolium cation greatly lowers the melting point far below ambient, resulting in zwitterionic liquids near room temperature with very large dielectric constants. Effects of anions with delocalized charge will also be discussed.

*This work was supported as part of Fast and Cooperative Ion Transport in Polymer-Based Materials (FaCT), an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the US. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences.

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Publication: W. Mei, A. J. Rothenberger, J. E. Bostwick, J. M. Rinehart, R. J. Hickey and R. H. Colby, Zwitterions Raise the Dielectric Constant of Soft Materials, Phys. Rev. Lett. 127, 228001 (2021).
W. Mei, R. J. Hickey and R. H. Colby, High Dielectric Constant Zwitterionic Liquids, PCT/US2023/022487 filed on May 17, 2022.
W. Mei, A. Han, R. J. Hickey and R. H. Colby, Effect of Chemical Substituents Attached to the Zwitterion Cation on Dielectric Constant, J. Chem. Phys. 155, 244505 (2021).
W. Mei, R. H. Colby and R. J. Hickey, Enhancing the Dielectric Constant of Zwitterionic Liquids via Dipole Moment and Anion Chemistry, J. Chem. Phys. 161, 014506 (2024).

Presenters

  • Ralph H Colby

    • Pennsylvania State University
    • The Pennsylvania State University

Authors

  • Ralph H Colby

    • Pennsylvania State University
    • The Pennsylvania State University

  • Robert J Hickey

    • Pennsylvania State University

  • Wenwen Mei

    • Pennsylvania State University

  • Zitan Huang

    • Pennsylvania State University
    • The Pennsylvania State University