Liquid crystalline ion conductor and method for preparation thereof

Abstract

A novel liquid-crystalline ionic conductor, which is useful in the electric, electronic, chemical and bioengineering fields, as an anisotropic reaction solvent, ionic conductor, electric field-responsible conductor or the like, and a method for producing the same, is provided. The liquid-crystalline ionic conductor is obtained by mixing an organic molten salt with a liquid-crystalline organic molecule or a liquid-crystalline inorganic molecule, which comprises a moiety miscible to the organic molten salt and a moiety that shows liquid-crystalline orientation, thereby forming a liquid-crystalline ionic conductor, wherein the organic molten salt is assembled to the liquid-crystalline molecule.

1 . A liquid-crystalline ionic conductor, comprising an organic molten salt and a liquid-crystalline molecule, which are mixed and assembled.  
     
     
         2 . The liquid-crystalline ionic conductor of  claim 1 , wherein the organic molten salt is assembled between layers of the liquid-crystalline molecules.  
     
     
         3 . The liquid-crystalline ionic conductor of  claim 1  or  2 , which is in the form of a cell or an oriented cell.  
     
     
         4 . The liquid-crystalline ionic conductor of any one of  claims 1  to  3 , wherein the liquid-crystalline molecule comprises a moiety that is miscible to the organic molten salt and a moiety that shows liquid-crystalline orientation.  
     
     
         5 . The liquid-crystalline ionic conductor of any one of  claims 1  to  4 , which form a smectic structure.  
     
     
         6 . The liquid-crystalline ionic conductor of any one of  claims 1  to  4 , which form a columnar structure or a cubic structure.  
     
     
         7 . A method for producing the liquid-crystalline ionic conductor of any one of  claims 1  to  6 , which comprises mixing an organic molten salt with a liquid-crystalline molecule.  
     
     
         8 . The method for producing a liquid-crystalline ionic conductor of  claim 7 , wherein the organic molten salt and the liquid-crystalline molecule are each dissolved in an organic solvent and mixed in the form of a solution.  
     
     
         9 . The method for producing a liquid-crystalline ionic conductor of  claim 7  or  8 , wherein a cell or an oriented cell is formed.  
     
     
         10 . The method for producing a liquid-crystalline ionic conductor of any one of  claims 7  to  9 , wherein the organic molten salt is an imidazolium-type molten salt.  
     
     
         11 . The method for producing a liquid-crystalline ionic conductor of any one of  claims 7  to  10 , wherein the liquid-crystalline molecule forms a smectic structure.  
     
     
         12 . The method for producing a liquid-crystalline ionic conductor of any one of  claims 7  to  10 , wherein the liquid-crystalline molecule forms a columnar structure or a cubic structure.