Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Study of Nanoscale Ionic Materials

Abstract

Nanoscale ionic materials (NIMs) are a new class of nanomaterials that exhibit interesting properties including negligible vapor pressures and tunable physical states, among others. In this study, we analyzed the temperature-wise performance of NIMs using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. NIMs are relatively stable over a temperature range from 300 to 383 K, rendering them usable in high temperature applications. We confirmed the presence of covalent bonds between the SiO2 core and the sulfonate group and determined relative concentrations of aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons. These findings serve as first hand proof-of-concept for the usefulness of NMR analyses in further studies on the diffusive properties of NIMs. © 2010 The Electrochemical Society.