Synthesis of gels by means of Michael addition reaction of multi-functional acetoacetate and diacrylate compounds and their application to ionic conductive gels

Michael-addition reactions of multi-functional acetoacetate, meso-erythritol tetraacetoacetate (ETAA), trimethylolpropane triacetoacetate (TPTAA), and diacrylate compounds, 1,4-butanediol diacrylate, 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate, 1,9-nonanediol diacrylate, or poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA), in dimethyl sulfoxide have successfully yielded the corresponding gels in the presence of 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.5.0]undecane-7-ene as a catalyst at room temperature. The gel formation rates of the reaction systems with TPTAA were higher than those with ETAA. The gels prepared with the alkyl diacrylate compounds or low molecular weight PEGDA showed higher Young's modulus in compression test. The ETAA-PEGDA gels were also prepared in propylene carbonate containing Li ion or in an ionic liquid. These gels showed good ionic conductivity with conductivity value as high as 2.26 and 2.38 mS/cm at room temperature for the Li ion and ionic liquid containing systems respectively.