Monash Ionic Liquids Group

Research interests

This research focuses on the synthesis of electroactive polymers, such as polypyrrole and polythiophene and derivatives, with improved mechanical and electrical properties. This is achieved by electropolymerisation using ionic liquids as both the solvent and the electrolyte. The effect of different ionic liquids on the physical properties of the polymer produced is studied using a range of analytical techniques to elucidate the morphology, chemical structure and mechanical properties of the polymers and thus determine how this relates to the ionic liquid used. We also use solid state NMR techniques to study the incorporation of both anions and cations from different ionic liquids into the polypyrrole. The influence of the nature of the ionic liquid is being investigated using cations such as the imidazolium, pyrrolidinium and phosphonium cations, in combination with anions such as TFSA, PF6 etc. Following the synthesis of the conducting polymers the performance of these materials as actuators and in photovoltaic devices will be assessed.

Sponsors

Publications

Previous Work

PhD

"Structural studies of ionic liquids and their use in synthesis".

Dr Andrew R. Mount & Dr Colin R. Pulham.

Sponsored by the EPSRC and a CASE award from Avecia (formerly Zeneca).