Microphase Separation and High Ionic Conductivity at High Temperatures of Lithium Salt-Doped Amphiphilic Alternating Copolymer Brush with Rigid Side Chains

An amphiphilic alternating copolymer brush (AACPB), poly{(styrene-g-poly(ethylene oxide))-alt-(maleimide-g-poly{2,5-bis[(4-methoxyphenyl)oxycarbonyl]styrene})}(P{(St-g-PEO)-alt-(MI-g-PMPCS)}), was synthesized by alternating copolymerization of styrene-terminated poly(ethylene oxide) (St-PEO) and maleimide-terminated poly{2,5-bis[(4-methoxyphenyl)-oxycarbonyl]styrene} (MI-PMPCS) macromonomers using the “grafting through” strategy. 1H NMR and gel permeation chromatography coupled with multiangle laser light scattering were used to determine the molecular characteristics of AACPBs. Although these AACPBs cannot microphase separate with thermal and solvent annealing methods, they can form lamellar structures by doping a lithium salt. This is a first report on lithium salt-induced microphase separation of AACPBs, and the lithium salt-doped AACPBs can serve as solid electrolytes for the transport of lithium ion. For the same AACPB, the ionic conductivity (σ) increases with increasing doping ratio. In addition, σ...