Ion-containing polymers and electrolyte/polymer blends have proved to be spectacularly successful in a number of applications, including synthetic membranes, imaging systems, magnetic recording media and tough (high impact resistant) materials.

1
Studies of Ionic Interactions and States of
Aggregation in Polymer/Electrolyte Blends Paul C.
Painter, Pennsylvania State Univ University Park,
DMR 0901180
Ion-containing polymers and electrolyte/polymer
blends have proved to be spectacularly successful
in a number of applications, including synthetic
membranes, imaging systems, magnetic recording
media and tough (high impact resistant)
materials. An understanding of the properties of
these materials depends on a molecular level
knowledge of the types of ionic structures
present. Ionic conductivity, for example,
depends on both the number of charge carriers and
their mobility, which in turn depends on complex
relationships between the types of ionic groups
present (e.g., single or free ions, triplets.
etc.), how they are coordinated to polymer
functional groups and how ion motion is coupled
to chain dynamics. Infrared spectroscopy is very
sensitive to the state of ion aggregation in well
chosen systems. For example, bands due to free
ions, ion pairs and aggregated ions can be
identified in the spectra of materials containing
the triflate group, CF3SO3. In recent work we
have studied blends of polyethylene glycol with
various triflate containing electrolytes,
including simple salts and ionic liquids. In
collaboration with Professor Jim Runt at Penn
State, who is making measurements using
dielectric spectroscopy, we are examining the
relationship between the fraction of free ions,
ion mobility and chain segment mobility.
Infrared spectra of triflate containing
polymer/electrolyte mixtures showing bands due to
free ions and ion pairs.
2
Broader Impacts New Technology and Education
Initiatives Paul C. Painter, Pennsylvania State
Univ University Park, DMR 0901180

• There have been a number of broader impacts of
  this research. In the last year these have
  included
• The development of a new technology to separate
  oil from sand.
• The involvement of undergraduates in the research
  and the training of students across a broad range
  of techniques and disciplines.
• The development of an on-line polymer textbook
• A serendipitous result of our studies of
  interactions between polymers, minerals and ionic
  liquids has been the development of a process to
  separate oil, tar or bitumen from sand. The
  separation occurs at room temperature and does
  not result in the generation of waste process
  water, unlike currently used processes which are
  energy intensive. A patent has been applied for
  as a result of this research. Undergraduate
  students were heavily involved in the work, which
  required an immersion in the unusual properties
  of a relatively new class of solvents ionic
  liquids.
• Other broad impacts includes a new effort to use
  the educational materials (animations, etc.)
  authored with previous NSF support. These are
  being used to construct an on-line textbook using
  open-source software (Drupal). Textbooks are
  becoming very expensive and the goal of this
  effort is to make available learning material
  that can be viewed on-line using tablet computers
  and similar devices.

The separation of bitumen from tar sands using an
ionic liquid. Three phases are formed and
separate readily under the action of gravity. The
hydrocarbon layer at the top is free of ionic
liquid and residual ionic liquid can be washed
from the sand with small amounts of water, then
recycled through a closed system. A patent
application has been filed.