SYNTHESIS AND ELECTRICAL RESPONSE OF SINGLE-ION CONDUCTING NETWORK POLYMERS BASED ON SODIUM POLY(TETRAALKOXYALUMINATES)

Sodium ion conducting polyelectrolytes containing a network of tetraalkoxyaluminates linked by polyethers have been prepared by the reaction of NaAlH2(OCH2CH2OCH3)2 with with low molecular weight poly(ethylene glycols) (PEG(300), -(400), -(600), -(1000)). The conductivities of these electrolytes are comparable to those observed for complexes of sodium tetraalkoxyaluminate salts with poly(ethylene oxide)-based host polymers (ca. 10(-6) S cm-1 at 60-degrees-C) indicating strong Na+-alkoxyaluminate ion pairing. A conductivity enhancement of 110-fold at 40-degrees-C is observed when the cation complexing agent cryptand [2.2.2] is added to the polyelectrolyte prepared from PEG (400). A similar conductivity enhancement was observed (140-fold at 40-degrees-C) when cryptand is added to salt complexes; the conductivity enhancement is likely due to a decrease in ion pairing in the electrolytes.