Lyotropic liquid-crystalline mesophase of lithium triflate-nonionic surfactant as gel electrolyte for graphene optical modulator
Date
2017Source Title
Journal of Physical Chemistry C
Print ISSN
1932-7447
Publisher
American Chemical Society
Volume
121
Issue
21
Pages
11194 - 11200
Language
English
Type
ArticleItem Usage Stats
181
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130
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Abstract
Lithium salt (noncoordinating anions, such as lithium triflate (Ltf)) gel electrolytes may be key for the practical use of electrochemical devices. We introduce a new lyotropic liquid-crystalline (LLC) mesophase using Ltf, a small amount of water (as low as 1.3 water per Ltf), and nonionic surfactant (C18H37(OCH2CH2)10OH, C18E10). The LLC phase forms over a broad range of Ltf/C18E10 mole ratios, 2-18. The clear ethanol solution of the ingredients can be either directly spin-coated over a glass substrate to form a gel phase or it can be prepared as a gel by mixing Ltf, water, and C18E10. The mesophase leaches out surfactant molecules at low salt concentrations, but at a salt/surfactant mole ratio of above 8, the phase is homogeneous with a cubic mesostructure, fully transparent in the visible optical region, mechanically flexible, and an effective gel electrolyte. We have observed a large electrostatic doping on graphene with the Fermi energy level of ∼1.0 eV using Ltf-C18E10 gel electrolytes. The Ltf-based gels demonstrate better properties than commonly used ionic liquid electrolyte in graphene optical modulators. The stability of the new gel electrolytes and their superior performance make them suitable electrolytes for use in graphene-based optical modulators.
Keywords
Crystalline materialsElectrolytes
Graphene
Ionic liquids
Liquids
Lithium
Modulators
Nonionic surfactants
Optical signal processing
Solid electrolytes
Spin glass
Substrates
Surface active agents
Electrochemical devices
Electrostatic doping
Ethanol solutions
Glass substrates
Ionic liquid electrolytes
Low salt concentration
Lyotropic liquid crystalline
Surfactant molecules
Light modulators
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/11693/37298Published Version (Please cite this version)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.7b03622Collections
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