title: Electrical conductivity and glass formation in nitrile-functionalized pyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ionic liquids: chain length and odd-even effects of the alkyl spacer between the pyrrolidinium ring and the nitrile group.
abstract: The electrical conductivity of a series of pyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ionic liquids, functionalized with a nitrile (cyano) group at the end of an alkyl chain attached to the cation, was studied in the temperature range between 173 K and 393 K. The glass formation of the ionic liquids is influenced by the length of the alkyl spacer separating the nitrile function from the pyrrolidinium ring. The electrical conductivity and the viscosity do not show a monotonic dependence on the alkyl spacer length, but rather an odd-even effect. An explanation for this behavior is given, including the potential energy landscape picture for the glass transition.
authors.affiliation: KU Leuven, Laboratorium voor Akoestiek en Thermische Fysica, Departement Natuurkunde en Sterrenkunde, Celestijnenlaan 200D bus 2416, 3001 Leuven, Belgium. jan.leys@fys.kuleuven.be.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leys
authors.forename: Chandra Shekhar Pati
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Tripathi
authors.forename: Christ
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Glorieux
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zahn
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kirchner
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Longuemart
authors.forename: Kallidanthiyil Chellappan
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Lethesh
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nockemann
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dehaen
authors.forename: Koen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Binnemans