Phys.org August 19, 2024
Making the Internet of Things a reality will require the type of circuitry and advanced operations that are only possible with electronics that can function in both positive and negative voltage modes. Researchers in Canada developed a new material zwitterion composed of an imidazolium tethered to an anionic sulfonyl(trifluoromethane sulfonyl)imide group as an alternative dielectric material to traditional ionic liquids. The zwitterion not only melted below 100 °C but also proved to be nonhygroscopic. By blending this compound with poly(methyl methacrylate) over a range of concentrations and thicknesses, they made high-capacitance organic dielectric materials. Experiments suggested that the zwitterions adopt a lamellar ordering at their surface above a critical concentration. The observed ordering was correlated with a 1000-fold increase in capacitance. According to the researchers their experiments shows that the zwitterions exhibit strong electrostatic correlations throughout the film bulk, pointing the way toward a novel class of organic dielectric materials… read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Graphical abstract. Credit: ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, Vol 16/Issue 29, July 11, 2024