A molecular metal with ion-conducting channels

Takayoshi Nakamura, Tomoyuki Akutagawa, Kazumasa Honda, Allan E. Underhill, A. Treeve Coomber and Richard H. Friend ()
Additional contact information
Takayoshi Nakamura: Research Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido University
Tomoyuki Akutagawa: Research Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido University
Kazumasa Honda: National Institute for Materials and Chemical Research
Allan E. Underhill: University College of North Wales
A. Treeve Coomber: Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge
Richard H. Friend: Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge

Nature, 1998, vol. 394, issue 6689, 159-162

Abstract: Abstract Metallic behaviour is well known in charge-transfer complexes that contain stacks of planar, partially oxidized (or reduced) π-conjugated molecules. Electronic conduction occurs in the partially occupied, delocalized π bands formed by intermolecular orbital overlap, and some of these materials exhibit superconductivity1,2. Counter-ions, present to achieve charge neutrality, usually play a passive role, although in some cases they couple to the electronic structure, for example by imposing a new structural periodicity (a superlattice) by orientational ordering1. The development of molecular solids that can simultaneously support the transport of both electrons and ions is important for several fields, including the development of solid-state batteries3,4, electroluminescent devices5 and biomimetic systems6,7. Crown ethers are promising components for such systems, as they provide cavities through which ion motion might occur. Here we report that the charge-transfer salt Li0.6(15-crown-5-ether)[Ni(dmit)2]2·H2O exhibits both electron and ion conductivity: the stacks of the nickel complex (dmit is an organic molecule) provide a pathway for electron conduction, and stacks of the crown ethers provide channels for lithium-ion motion. Evidence for the latter above 250 K is provided by NMR and conductivity studies. We also see evidence for coupling of the electron and ion motions. This compound might serve as a model for the development of other hybrid electronic/ionic conducting materials.

Date: 1998
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/BF28128 Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:nature:v:394:y:1998:i:6689:d:10.1038_28128

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/

DOI: 10.1038/28128

Access Statistics for this article

Nature is currently edited by Magdalena Skipper

More articles in Nature from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().