3D interconnected ionic nano-channels formed in polymer films: self-organization and polymerization of thermotropic bicontinuous cubic liquid crystals.

Thermotropic bicontinuous cubic (Cub(bi)) liquid-crystalline (LC) compounds based on a polymerizable ammonium moiety complexed with a lithium salt have been designed to obtain lithium ion-conductive all solid polymeric films having 3D interconnected ionic channels. The monomer shows a Cub(bi) phase from -5 to 19 °C on heating. The complexes retain the ability to form the Cub(bi) LC phase. They also form hexagonal columnar (Col(h)) LC phases at temperatures higher than those of the Cub(bi) phases. The complex of the monomer and LiBF(4) at the molar ratio of 4:1 exhibits the Cub(bi) and Col(h) phases between -6 to 19 °C and 19 to 56 °C, respectively, on heating. The Cub(bi) LC structure formed by the complex has been successfully preserved by in situ photopolymerization through UV irradiation in the presence of a photoinitiator. The resultant nanostructured film is optically transparent and free-standing. The X-ray analysis of the film confirms the preservation of the self-assembled nanostructure. The polymer film with the Cub(bi) LC nanostructure exhibits higher ionic conductivities than the polymer films obtained by photopolymerization of the complex in the Col(h) and isotropic phases. It is found that the 3D interconnected ionic channels derived from the Cub(bi) phase function as efficient ion-conductive pathways.