Carbanions, polymer electrolytes

Table 1. Some imide ions and carbanions used in salts to enhance polymer electrolyte conductivity and reduce crystallinity...

The Quebec Province eleclricity company. Hydro Quebec, has been developing a large power supply battery since 1978 that uses a polymer electrolyte. The lithium salt composed of imide anion and carbanion are used as heat-resistant salt with the low lattice energy and bulky anion. 

On the basis of the polarographic studies, the direct electron transfer polymerizations of the monomers, of which half-wave potentials could be measured, were conducted keeping the potential at a level where the monomer alone was reduced and the electrolyte was not affected. During the electrolysis of a-methyl-styrene, for example, the red color of the carbanion was observed around the cathode, but dissipacted and vanished quickly. Only low polymers were found in the cathodic compartment, but no polymer in the anolyte. In the polymerization of other monomers almost identical results were obtained. From the fact that tri-n-butyl-amine was detected in the catholyte and analysis of the end group of polymers obtained, two possible termination steps were postulated ... 

Electrolytic polymerizations were described in the section dealing with cationic polymerizations. Anionic polymerizations can also be initiated in an electric field. When LiAlHj or NaAl(C2H5)4 are used as electrol3Tes in tetrahydrofuran solvent living polymers can be formed from a-methylstyrene [190]. The deep red color of carbanions develops first at the cathode compartments of divided cells. 

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